It describes the benefits of sheltering a home with earth, including the added comfort and energy efficiency from the moderating influence of the earth on the home’s temperature (keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer), along with the benefits of low maintenance and the protection against fire, sound, earthquake, and storm afforded by the earth. Extra benefits from adding an earth or other living roof option include greater longevity of the roof substrate, fine aesthetics, and environmental harmony.The book covers all of the various construction techniques involved, including details on planning, excavation, footings, floor, walls, framing, roofing, waterproofing, insulation, and drainage. Specific methods appropriate for the inexperienced owner/builder are a particular focus and include:Pouring one’s own footings and/or floor The use of dry-stacked (surface-bonded) concrete block walls Post-and-beam framing Plank-and-beam roofing Drainage methods and self-adhesive waterproofing membranes The time-tested, easy-to-learn construction techniques described in Earth-Sheltered Houses will enable readers to embark upon their own building projects with confidence, backed up by a comprehensive resources section that lists all the latest products such as waterproofing membranes, types of rigid insulation, and drainage products that will protect the building against water damage and heat loss.Rob Roy is a former contractor with 27 years of experience and 12 previous books to his credit, including Cordwood Building and Timber Framing for the Rest of Us. An expert on underground building, he founded the Earthwood Building School in 1981 with his wife, Jaki, and is frequently a speaker at events throughout North America.

    It’s overwhelming— and the more complicated the proposed solution, the harder it is to stick with it.That’s why The Debt-Free Spending Plan is SIMPLE. It doesn’t require sifting through chapters of high-minded financial advice or digging up your past spend ing history. It assumes you need help RIGHT NOW, and gives it to you. You will learn to:• Downsize expenses without feeling deprived• Allocate money as it comes in and put together an easy-to-manage bill-paying plan• Adjust for inevitable overspending• Pay off debt without gouging expenses and (believe it or not) start savingThe plan is clear, easy, and takes just five minutes a day—and it doesn’t matter if you make $14,000 or $14 million. With straightforward daily spending strategies and effortless expense tracking tools, you will soon find yourself on the road to financial freedom—all before the next billing cycle.

    

    Well, here's some great news: amazing opportunities exist in the Canadian real estate market for investors who understand how big-picture economic fundamentals can be combined with sound property analysis to create exceptional wealth. Your key to success is to learn the powerful techniques that have helped thousands of others to make money and accomplish their lifestyle dreams through intelligent real estate investing.In Real Estate Investing in Canada, you'll discover the breakthrough Authentic Canadian Real Estate (ACRE) system, a step-by-step program designed to unlock the secrets behind profitable real estate investing. Developed by Canadians for Canadians, savvy investors have already used this ACRE approach to purchase nearly $1 billion in property. You can learn how the ACRE system can help you cut through real estate market hype to get honest answers about critical investment questions.In Real Estate Investing in Canada, you'll learn:how to spot a market that is over-priced or, better yet, under-priced how to know if a town will boom or bust--before it happens how to accurately analyze any property--even if you're a novice investor decide, within 30 seconds, whether a property has profit potential or not the 18 secrets to street-smart negotiations--how to use them to get the deal you want the 7 proven strategies that will get the bank to say yes to your deals how to get your offer accepted, even in a competitive market the single most important step for an overachieving real estate investor (it's not what you think!) The fundamentals of the real estate market have changed dramatically over the past few years, and investors need to know how to read the signs so they get in and--just as importantly--out of the market at the right time.So, if you're serious about informed investing, read Real Estate Investing in Canada, learn the ACRE system, and join the ranks fo Canada's top real estate investors.********************************************************Canadians are looking to real estate investing to build wealth given the unpredictable nature of the stock market. The Authentic Canadian Real Estate (ACRE) System is the first of its kind to show ordinary Canadians how to profit from investing in residential real estate. In Real Estate Investing in Canada, readers will discover how to cut through the hype and emotion of a real estate market and assess the inherent risks and rewards. Whether buying a first property or the 100th, this book gives every investor new-found tools, strategies and confidence to achieve their investment goals.What Canadian real estate investors are saying about the ACRE System and Don R. Campbell: "This is a great book. One strategy alone saved me over $28,000 in the last nine months!" -- Michael Millenaar"Full of practical Canadian content and presented in an organized and respectful system. It directly addresses how you get the money and financing you need to purchase enough real estate to achieve your goals." -- Tamara MacLaren"One of Don Campbell's great gifts is his near-genius ability to take something that appears complex and break it down into a simple step-by-step system that anyone can follow. I am convinced that everyone will thoroughly enjoy, and more important, benefit financially, by reading this book." -- Russell Westcott"The power of Real Estate Investing in Canada lies in the super simple, street-proven systems that it offers you. It makes real estate dreams possible and reachable for any Canadian. If you are serious about learning the truth, cutting through all the hype and being successful, this is your real estate bible!"-- Valden Palm, Misterrrsp.com A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to Habitat for Humanity Canada.Special BonusThe markets across the country are continually shifting and you must keep on top of the latest information. So, as a bonus, every registered reader of Real Estate Investing in Canada will have proprietary access to critical forms and ongoing market research at www.reincanada.com.

    Everything else can be made, bought or created. Our life is made up of around 600,000 hours and every second is of infinite value. We live in an attention economy where corporations are fighting for our time with the goal of monetizing our every second. The money we use loses value and devalues our time through inflation. When we work, we are exchanging our limited time for money whose quantity increases every year. It hasn’t always been this way. People used gold as money for a reason; it was also a limited resource. Now, what does the future hold?Valuing your time is the first step to improving your life. Knowing that your time is the only limited resource makes you more selective about the things you do, the people you spend your time with and the assets you choose to store your wealth in. Once you learn to appreciate your time, you will get busy doing the things you love and start making better financial choices.

    This is where 927 Days of Summer picks up the trail. After shipping Nacho from Argentina to Malaysia on a container ship, Brad and Sheena resume their journey, this time with the ambitious goal of driving all the way around the world. When they roll out of the shipping container onto Malaysian soil, their odometer turns over 300,000 miles. Is Nacho really up for the brutal journey ahead?This hilarious, and often harrowing tale follows them through the sweltering jungles of Southeast Asia, the buzzing hornet's nest of India, into the remote Nepalese Himalayas, through the stony hills of Anatolia to the Sahara Desert in Africa, through Europe and beyond. Whether dodging rickshaws on crater-filled roads, defying Maoist rebels on cliff-hanging Himalayan tracks, getting hopelessly stuck in the desert on the Pakistani border, or becoming the subjects of an international missing persons case in the remote mountains of Laos, there is never a dull moment in 927 Days of Summer. Come along as a diverse cast of characters guides our subjects through a world of unfolding landscapes and cultures on the road trip to end all road trips, and then ask yourself: can you really just go home, unpack, and eat a sandwich?

    Rather it offers a mosaic of observations of the challenges and thrills of this particular time of a parent's life. It is an accessible and humourous book in which parents are offered a perspective on a process that, while deeply personal, should not be taken personally.

    Provides clear advice on how to overcome the personal, financial and psychological obstacles.

    Since the bubble burst, many people are scared of investing in the stock market. Sure, stocks are risky--just like any other investment--but with the right knowledge and tactics, there's still money to be made. Trading For Dummies isn't about high-risk, fast-paced day trading. It's a simple, straightforward guide to the ins and outs of stock investing that offers a measured, level-headed approach to trading. You'll learn the basics of portfolio management, measuring stock value, market analysis, and much more--all with a focus on risk reduction and steady profits. Inside you'll learn how to:Understand market cycles Choose a great broker Master technical analysis Manage your risk exposure Build a balanced portfolio This friendly guide presents the kind of honest advice you won't find in the typical get-rich-quick books on trading. Full of practical tips and tactics--as well as hardnosed insider advice--this handy resource shows you how to build a strong, balanced, and profitable portfolio. Whether you want to save up for your retirement or pay for college, Trading For Dummies will show you how to:Prepare yourself with the right tools and information Develop your own custom trading strategy Analyze companies and stocks Understand all the exchanges and markets Understand broker fee structures Analyze market behavior Decipher income statements, balance sheets, and ratios Read charts and graphs Spot trends and profit from them This book has all the tools and honest advice novice stock traders need to get set-up quickly and safely. Basic strategies and stock valuation methodologies let you control your risk exposure and make wise decisions. Trading For Dummies includes everything new traders need with advice on every type of stock or derivative, every kind of trade, and every popular strategy.

    Tracy Kidder takes readers to the heart of the American Dream: the building of a family's first house with all its day-to-day frustrations, crises, tensions, challenges, and triumphs.

    Written by Dr. Teresa Ghilarducci, an economics professor, a retirement and savings specialist, and a trustee to two retiree health-care trusts worth over $54 billion, How to Retire with Enough Money cuts through the confusion, misinformation, and bad policy-making that keeps us spending or saving poorly. It begins with acknowledging what a person or household actually needs to have saved—the rule of thumb is eight to ten times your annual salary before retirement—and how much to expect from Social Security. And then it delivers the basic principles that will make the money grow, including a dozen good ideas to get current expenses under control. Why to “get rid of your guy”—those for-fee (or hidden-fee) financial planners that suck up valuable assets. Why it’s always better to pay off a loan or a mortgage. There are no gimmicks, no magical thinking—just an easy-to-follow program that works.

    In this life-changing little book, entrepreneur and inspirational speaker Keith Cameron Smith shows you how to think like a millionaire and reap the benefits of a millionaire mindset. The key to moving beyond the middle class and up the economic ladder is mastering ten vital principles, including• Millionaires think long-term. The middle class thinks short-term. Create a clear vision of the life you desire, and focus on it.• Millionaires talk about ideas. The middle class talks about things and other people. Ask some positive “what if” questions every day, and bounce ideas off successful people who will be honest with you.• Millionaires work for profits. The middle class works for wages. Take calculated risks and learn to take advantage of good opportunities.We all want to improve our financial position. In this inspirational and practical guide filled with savvy and sensible advice, Smith upgrades you from coach to first class. So follow these principles, transform your life, and realize your dreams!

    If you have a home and an Internet connection, you have a solution: Airbnb hosting. Get Paid For Your Pad is the veritable blueprint on how to transform your home into a short-stay rental boon. Renting in the short-stay market, when done correctly, crushes the return from long-term tenants. Like hundreds of thousands of people, you can boost your profits by 2 to 3 times with the most well known short-stay marketplace in the world: Airbnb. This step-by-step guide to renting your home on the Airbnb platform teaches: • How Jasper went from making $24,000 per year to $60,000 from his house in Amsterdam • How to prepare your home like a 5-star hotel in a cost-effective manner • How to set up a dazzling and polished Airbnb listing from start to finish • How to communicate with guests in a professional and responsive way • How to scientifically calculate an optimal price point for profit maximization • How to catapult your search rank within the Airbnb platform The book comes with countless (1) tips, (2) examples, (3) real life stories from Airbnb hosts, (4) action points, and (5) easy-to-implement templates that can be employed to launch and optimize your Airbnb business right away!