How To Find a Temp Job

Have you been laid off and not having much luck finding a new permanent job? A Temp Job may be just the solution you're looking for. Working a temp job through a temporary employment agency is pretty similar in most aspects to working for any other employer. The main difference being that you're just considered a temporary worker. But many temporary jobs offer the opportunity to sign on to a full-time position if they decide you're an asset to their company. Open positions for temp jobs range from typical labor to medical fields. Hours & pay may vary depending on what position(s) you are willing to accept.




Temp Agency Etiquette

Stay close to your phone when waiting for a temp position. Many times a temp job will need to be filled at the last minute. If you're not there by the phone to accept the position, it may just go the next person in line. Enthusiastically accept temp positions that are offered and don't complain too much if you find a particular job unbearable. You'll find that the open position door quickly closes when you're unwillingly to take on specific temp jobs. It's perfectly OK to fish in different temp agency pools. Even while you're working at one temp job, it's not really all that uncommon to keep looking for the right temporary job in addition to a permanent job.


Finding a Local Temp Agency

There are several ways to go about finding a local temp agency. The most common way is by pulling out the Yellow Pages and searching under staffing agency, temporary agency and employment agency. You can also find online temp agency jobs by searching the internet with the same terms as most temp agencies now have websites. Some even offer the ability to apply online, but if your local agency is not too far away it's a good idea to apply in person and get to know the people in charge. Be sure to present yourself in the most pleasant way whenever visiting your local office. These are the people that decide whether you will fill a temp job position or not.

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How To Find FDIC Insured Banks and Institutions

You've surely heard by now of all the FDIC Insured Banks that have been failing throughout the U.S. (115 since January 2009). So how do you cover your assets and make sure that the bank you choose to deposit your funds in is FDIC insured? The FDIC has a search feature built into their website, where you can search for FDIC insured banks across the United States, called Bank Find. You can visit the link to search for banks by name and location. You can also keep track of FDIC coverage limits by visiting their changes page.

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How To Calculate Body Mass Index - BMI Calculator

How To Calculate Body Mass Index - BMI

An easy way to calculate your average Body Mass Index, to assess your excess body fat, is by using this free Body Mass Index calculator from the CDC. Determining your BMI will give you a pretty good idea of your general weight range for your size and height. Weighing in at 200 pounds on a 6'2" frame, I'm unfortunately dipping into the overweight category. I wish I could say that I was 200 lbs. of bone & muscle, but I'd be fooling with my weight loss efforts if I did. You can play around with the Body Mass Index calculator, leaving the height the same and adjusting the weight, until you find a general weight that throws you into the normal weight (healthy) category. This can assist you with any future weight loss efforts. There is also a BMI calculator for kids should you be concerned about your children being overweight. As a general rule, the higher your BMI number, the more you are at risk for life-threatening health conditions.

Definition of Body Mass Index

So what does Body Mass Index mean and how accurate is BMI? Your Body Mass Index number is a general guide to how much actual body fat is being carried on your body. The number you calculate from the Body Mass Index calculator is not a definitive number. You would need further testing to get a more accurate number. Some of these tests for measuring body fat may include, among others, a skinfold thickness test, underwater weighing and computer tomography.

Tips to Help You Lose Weight

• Make a commitment to lose weight. If you get off track, get back on quick.


• Don't set unattainable weight loss goals for yourself.


• Eat Healthier. Add more whole foods to your diet.


• Exercise regularly to burn more calories.


• Change your habits. If you do what you've always done, you'll get...well, you know.


• And have your doctor schedule a BMI test to assist you in getting that Body Mass Index score back down into the normal, healthy range.

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How To Get Free Business Consulting Advice

If you're just starting a new business, or even if you're an established business in need of excellent advice, you can get free business consulting from a source of professionals that most likely have the answers to your questions. The Small Business Council of Retired Executives, better known as S.C.O.R.E., is an online mentoring group of retired successful business executives that will consult with small businesses for free. They can give you recommendations and help on a variety of small business subjects. Everything from writing a business plan to securing a business loan.

If you're an entrepreneur just researching starting a new business, the S.C.O.R.E. website is an excellent place to learn tips on how to jump start your new business, finding out if you can afford to start a small business and even tips to help your new business survive. All of these business consulting resources couldn't be found with a better price tag. Free!

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How To Save Money on Electric Bills - Heating & Cooling

Below you'll find some pretty simple tips on how to save money on electric bills. A few of these tips you may have heard of before and it should go without saying that the more energy we use the higher the electric bill. To save money, your goal is to limit energy use in your home as much as possible...conserve energy. What that means is, sometimes we have to go out of our way to save an extra dollar or two. That could be anything from getting up out of bed at night when you forgot to turn off a light to setting your thermostat higher in the summer to save on cooling costs. If you want to really save on your electric bills, you need to be somewhat willing to compromise.

Save on Cooling Costs

• Your biggest savings from cooling costs can be found right at your thermostat. The closer your thermostat is set to match the outside temperature of your home the more money you will save. If you can set your thermostat around 77-78°F in the summer, you should see a reduction in your next electric bill. If you can manage to set your thermostat even a few degrees higher, all the better.



• If you're going to be sitting or working in one place for any length of time, have a fan blowing towards you to help you feel cooler.



• If your heating and cooling ducts are uninsulated, try to have them insulated as soon as possible. And be sure to check for any leaks at least once a year.



• You can also have a programmable thermostat installed that will help to lower your daily energy use. A programmable thermostat can be set at different temperatures for different times of day. This is very helpful for controlling cooling costs.



• Closing the curtains during the day, when you're not at home, helps to save money on cooling costs.



• Have your air conditioning unit serviced regularly.

Save on Heating Costs

• Pretty much the same principle applies to heating costs in winter as it does to cooling costs in summer. For winter, keep your thermostat on as low a setting as is comfortable. Should you get a chill, you can wear more clothes in winter to make your body feel warmer and drinking warm liquids always seems to help.



• If you live in a rural area and have access to plenty of land with trees, you may want to consider heating with wood.



• Inspect around exterior windows and doors for any cracks that may have developed. If you find any, apply caulking to reseal.



• Be sure you have adequate insulation in your attic. Don't know what the recommended insulation R-Value is for attics in your area? Use this ZIP Code Insulation Program from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Water Heater Savings

• A fair amount of money can be saved annually by lowering the thermostat on your water heater by a few degrees.



• Install a water heater blanket on your water heater to help prevent heat loss.



• Make sure you don't have any water leaks, especially from the hot water lines.



• Insulate approximately 6 feet of the water lines that enter and exit the hot water heater to help prevent heat loss.



• Maintain the efficiency of your water heater by draining about a gallon of water from the bottom of the water heater tank several times a year. This helps to prevent any buildup of sediment.

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How To Report an Earthquake

Have you ever felt what you thought was an earthquake and wanted to report it somehow? If you honestly think you felt an earthquake, you can report seismic activity to the United States Geological Survey website. Click on the Report Unknown Event button and you'll be taken through a series of questions to make your report. You will be asked such questions to help determine if it was indeed an earthquake. And if so, the intensity of the quake. You can also view other earthquakes that have been reported around the globe. So if you ever think you feel an earthquake, now you know where to go to report it.

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How To Save Money on Medicine | Discount Medicine

Are you wanting to know how to save money on medicine prices? Whether it be prescription medicines or OTC drugs, there are several ways to fight rising medicine costs. And the money saving tips below should help you lower the expense of your medicine purchases.

Choosing Pharmacies

Let's face it, more and more pharmacies are competing heavily for your prescription filling needs. Most pharmacies now offer super-low prices on many common prescriptions and if you're not taking advantage of the savings, you could be losing an abundant amount of money. Wal-Mart pharmacy has their $4.00 Prescription Program and many other pharmacies have now followed suit. There's no reason to be paying full price on common generic prescriptions covered under these prescription plans when you can get a 30 day supply for just $4.00. Or for even more savings, talk to your doctor and ask them to write a prescription for a 90 day supply and you'll only end up paying $10 for prescriptions covered under these money saving plans.

Check Prescription Drug Costs

When your doctor prescribes a new prescription drug, be sure to ask what the average price is for that medication. There's no feeling quite like going to purchase a new prescription and learning that you just can't afford the costly drug. If there's a problem in being able to afford a certain prescription your doctor may be able to help you by prescribing a similar medicine.

Buy Discount Generic Prescription Drugs

There are certain cases in which it's just not worth the risk to switch to or buy generic prescription drugs. But for many, buying discount generic equivalent medicine can save an enormous amount of money and still provide the same effect as a brand medicine. You should speak with your doctor or pharmacist to determine whether a generic prescription would work in your particular case.

OTC Generic Drugs

Many of us have grown up using brand name OTC medicines. But when money is tight, you can be frugal and still use a medicine that will most likely suit your medical needs. Most OTC generic drugs are manufactured to have the same medicinal effect as brand name drugs. And many generic drugs use the exact same ingredients in their manufacturing process. The next time you're out at the drug store looking to heal what ails you, compare the ingredients on the back of the bottles and you'll find many with the exact same ingredients and/or mixtures. You can then choose if you want to really save money on your medicine needs or pay for brand advertising.

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How To Get Better Gas Mileage MPG | Saving Money

Learning how to get better gas mileage helps you save money on fuel costs. But if you factor in some of the methods used for achieving better gas mileage, you can also save wear and tear on your vehicle in the long run. Listed below, you'll find a multitude of ways to get more miles per gallon out of each tank of gas.

Better Gas Mileage Tips

• When starting your vehicle in the mornings, let your vehicle warm up no more than a minute before driving. Excess idling burns fuel and cuts into your gas mileage. If you plan to stop somewhere during your commute and you will be away from your vehicle for longer than 30 seconds, turn off your vehicle's engine. It's always a good idea to turn off your engine and remove your keys from the ignition to prevent your vehicle from being stolen.



• When accelerating to cruising speed, try to get up to speed as quickly as possible, but don't floor the gas pedal to do so. A nice and steady acceleration will get your vehicle up to optimum MPG speeds with the least amount of gas burned.



• Speaking of optimum speed for better gas mileage. Did you know that most vehicles burn the least amount of gas around 55 - 60 miles per hour? If you can drive that speed without getting run over, try to achieve that limit. Otherwise, do your best to keep at a steady cruising speed and plan ahead to avoid unnecessary braking & acceleration.



• If you happen to be a NASCAR fan, you've probably heard the race announcers talking about how light the bodies of the cars are. One of the reasons for this is for fuel conservation. A heavier vehicle means less MPG. If you use your vehicle as a storage shed, ditch what you don't really need and you should see better gas mileage.



• If your vehicle comes with Overdrive, use it. Follow your owner's manual when using Overdrive. Some examples of times when Overdrive shouldn't be used are on long uphill grades at cruising speed or when you're pulling heavy objects such as a loaded trailer or boat.



• If you have a habit of using your left foot for braking, break it. The habit I mean, not your foot. If you have a left foot braking habit, you could be riding your brakes without realizing it and that can really cut into your chances of getting better gas mileage.



• When is the last time you had a tune-up? Taking your vehicle in for a tune-up can substantially increase your gas mileage, depending on how long the last one was performed.



• While some may argue that air conditioning causes fuel consumption, so does wind drag. The difference is so minimal that it would have to be proven in a wind tunnel and I simply don't have the funds for purchasing one of those this month. So crank up the air conditioning and stay cool. The only drawback to this plan is if you're stuck in stop and go, bumper-to-bumper traffic on the hottest day of summer idling over sweltering blacktop, you have to roll the windows down and turn off the air, because then your air conditioning would be a gas hog and you couldn't use wind drag as an excuse. Sorry, these are the rules. I don't make them, I just follow them.



• Air your tires up to their recommended PSI. You should find the recommended PSI located on your tire sidewalls.



• And last, but certainly not least, shop around for gas prices. Gas Buddy does a pretty good job of keeping track of current local gas prices.

Here's hoping we all get better gas mileage this coming summer!

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How To Save Water | Water Conservation

There are countless ways that you can save water and conserving water doesn't have to be an inconvenience either. Listed below are simple ways that you can save water in and around your home or business.

• Number one on my list of ways to save water is: Pee in the woods. Now I know this may sound rude to some, but think of the benefits. Not only do you save a flush, but you also fertilize some thankful tree or plant.



• Repair any toilet leaks. Leaking toilets can cause a considerable waste of water, but are usually very cheap to fix



• The average shower time is 8 minutes. Most people can shorten their shower time by several minutes, thus conserving several gallons of water per shower.



• When boiling vegetables or eggs, let the water cool down and then use it to water your plants.



• Install insulation on your hot water pipes. When you have a large home it can take a gallon or more of water before hot water reaches the faucet.



• When brushing your teeth, don't leave the water running the whole time. There's no reason for water to be running while you're brushing.



• Install a shutoff valve behind your shower head and turn off the water while lathering up. This alone can save several hundred gallons per year. Multiply this by our average national household and you will understand what a difference it could make in water conservation.



• Only wash laundry with a full load and try not to use hot water as much as possible.



• If you have to use a dishwasher, try to use it only when full. Otherwise, try to wash dishes by hand.



• Don't just flush trash down the toilet.



• Don't flush fruit and vegetable scraps down through the trash compactor. Instead, start a compost pile and add the scraps to it.



• Even though it's a common thing to do, don't defrost your food under running water. Try to plan ahead and let your food defrost in the fridge or if you're in a hurry use the defrost cycle on your microwave.



• If you take a bath, try to fill the tub with as little water as needed. When I was growing up, we used to have to take a bath in bath water that had already been used by another bather. I'm sure it's still done to this day, but I didn't like it then and I wouldn't even ask that someone else do it now.



• If you absolutely must water your lawn, try to do it early in the morning hours to prevent evaporation.



• Apply mulch around your garden plants. This helps prevent the soil from losing moisture, stabilizes soil temperature and provides a suitable environment for the roots of your plants as well as beneficial soil organisms.



• When you must water your plants due to drought conditions, water them deeply. This prevents you from watering them often which is actually not good for plants as it causes the plants to develop shallow roots.



• Install a dead weight inside your toilet tank to reduce water used by flushing. This can be almost anything, just make sure it doesn't rust. Your goal is to replace water with "dead space".



• If you live in an arid region and wish to surround your home with plants, consider Xeriscaping to minimize water usage.



• Wash your vehicle with as little water as possible. Better yet, wash your vehicle while it's raining to take full advantage of the conditions.



• Use drip irrigation for watering your garden. You can hide the hose under mulch to really gain the full effect of water conservation.



• Install flow restrictors or low-flow faucet aerators on your faucets.



• If you need to clean off a driveway or patio, sweep it off instead of spraying it off.



• Collect rain water from your gutters into a rain barrel to water your plants. Some municipalities actually offer cash rebates for purchasing the rain barrels for this purpose. If yours doesn't, encourage your local leaders to do so.



• If permissible by your local code, collect & use gray water for watering your ornamental trees & plants.



• Use the water that you soak your feet in to water your ornamental plants as long as you don't add any harmful chemicals to it.



• Again, if you "must" water your lawn, consider adjusting the cutting deck of your mower higher to more heavily shade the soil and prevent moisture loss.



• If you have a pool in your backyard, consider a pool cover to minimize evaporation.

As I learn of even more ways on how to save water, I will continually update this water conservation list.

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How To Save Money on Food | Save Money on Meals

Learn how to save money on food bills with these simple, but often forgotten frugal tips. As the average cost of food seems to be constantly on the rise, we sometimes forget tips and tricks for saving on meals that have been passed down over the ages. Here's a few tips for saving money on groceries that should leave a little extra change in your pocket to get you through until next month.

Saving Money on Food Purchases

• One of the easiest ways to saving money on food is to use coupons. It only takes a few seconds to clip coupons to help you save big. Here are some places online to find money saving coupons:
  
  Coupons.com
  
  Smartsource.com
  
  Eversave.com
  
  Coolsavings.com
  
  Valpak.com
  
  



• Take your meals to work instead of eating out. Brown bagging it can save up to $1000 dollars a year on food purchases. You work hard! It's equally important to save hard.



• Another way to save money on grocery bills is by using grocery store loyalty cards. Use these cards during grocery sales with/without coupons and you could walk away not having to pay a dime on certain products.



• Watch when buying store brands vs. brand names. Sometimes, especially during food sales, the store brand can actually be priced higher than the brand name food item. Also be sure to price items per ounce or unit price. Sometimes buying bulk items can be even more expensive.



• Buy in bulk during grocery store sales. You may end up with a freezer packed full of meat, but you'll have saved a bundle if you play your cards right.



• Shop for groceries at scratch and dent or salvage food stores. My father works at a huge national food supplier chain. We pretty much grew up on these types of groceries. Sometimes it's just that a forklift driver makes a mistake and sends a steel fork through a box of canned items and the case is no longer good for sale as a whole lot. Items like these are rewrapped on a pallet and sold for individual sale to some salvage retailers. Many of these food items have not one single thing wrong with them. They were just unfortunate to be in the wrong case at the wrong time. One word of caution: Be sure to check dates on all food purchases. It's not a deal if you have to pitch it in the trash for being out-of-date.



• Many of us are concerned about our source of drinking water. It doesn't take long for bottled water to really add up on the grocery bill each month. Especially if you're drinking the recommended amount of water daily. Buy a water filter today and quit wasting money on bottled water.



• You can save a bundle on food costs by eating in instead of eating out. If you don't know how already, learn to cook. It's not really that hard and if you're reading this, you have the almighty internet to guide you along. Virtually any question you have on cooking can be answered online. There are online food forums specifically built for people like yourselves.



• Shop less - Save more! When you do shop for food, buy as much as you can when you shop. Travel costs should be included in your grocery store trips and fuel costs can contribute to less money in your bank every month.



• If you do find yourself having to eat out, use coupons for fast food purchases. They can save you at the very least several dollars for each food purchase.



• Grow a garden! Even if you live in an apartment with a balcony, you can grow vegetables in containers and save big on fresh produce. Those of us with a decent size backyard can grow the majority of our fruits and vegetables right in our own backyard. And one of the benefits of a garden is that it helps to keep you physically fit.

Hopefully, some of these tips will help you save money on food purchases!

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How To Change Office 2007 Color Scheme

If you'd like to know how to change your Office 2007 Color Scheme, then get set to follow this easy tutorial! I have never liked the lackluster blue scheme color that is the Microsoft Office 2007 default color so I went in search of finding a new color scheme. It won't take but a moment to change the color scheme, so let's get to it.

Changing Office 2007 Color Scheme

• First, let's open up any Office 2007 application. Microsoft Word will be used here.


• Click on the Office Button





• Now click on the options button, in this case, "Word Options". The Word Options box will open.





• Click on the Popular tab and you'll see the Color Scheme Selector. Default color is listed as Blue





• Change your color scheme for Office 2007 and then click OK to apply the color scheme you choose to use.

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How To Play AVI Files in Windows Media Player

Have you tried to play AVI files in Windows Media Player only to find out that all you get is the audio and no video. If you're not comfortable installing codecs onto your computer from unknown sources, you're not alone.

Play AVI Files | Media Player

One of the easiest ways to play those AVI video files in Media Player is to download DivX video player. You simply download the player and install it onto your computer. The website does a fine job of walking you through the easy setup procedure. It is also a free download and you don't have to install any of the additional components like Google Chrome for the program to work correctly, although I'm sure it would make Google happy if you did. Once the program is installed you just open the AVI file you want to watch in Windows Media Player and it should start playing videos immediately. How simple is that?

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How To Keep Track of Flu Statistics

Do you want to keep up with the latest flu statistics? Once again Google has come to the rescue with their Flu Trends Report. By using aggregated Google search data they can determine what areas of the country are experiencing flu symptoms, "up to two weeks faster than traditional systems".



Now if you're wanting to keep up with cases of swine flu and the facts on swine flu, you can get up-to-date information from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) website. There, you'll find the number of laboratory confirmed cases per state. Currently, there are 19 states with a total of 141 confirmed cases and 1 death from H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu).

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How To Fix a Loose Screw

In a bind and need to learn how to fix a loose screw quick? Whether you're trying to repair door hinge screws or just a loose board, this little trick will fix a stripped screw in a hurry.



First, you'll need to remove the loose screw, which shouldn't be much of a problem if it's really loose from waiting so long to repair it. Next you need to find something to wedge down into the worn hole. This can be anything from a broken match stick to a plastic cable tie. Even a few strands of copper wire will help the screw catch when you go to fix the screw hole. Whatever material you choose to use, just jam it down into the worn hole as much as you can. Then squirt a dab of glue down in there too. Now you can grab your screwdriver and force that screw back into the hole for a secure hold. And there you have it. No more running to the hardware store to fix a loose screw ever again.

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How To Make Hypertufa | Hypertufa Recipe

Learning how to make Hypertufa projects can be some serious fun! There are an assortment of Hypertufa recipes, but the recipe or instructions I'll be explaining how to mix here is the least complicated. Now some of you at this point may be asking, what is Hypertufa, exactly? Well, in its simplified form, it's a mixture of Portland cement, peat & perlite and water. What can you do with Hypertufa? You can make whatever you can envision. Most folks make garden pots from simple molds. Or you could make sophisticated rocks and stones, ornate garden fountains. You can even build outdoor garden furniture if you have enough time and material! So, let's move on to the recipe for Hypertufa...

Hypertufa Recipe

1 part Portland cement
1½ part peat
1½ part perlite
Dust Mask
Rubber Gloves

You'll find the best way to mix Hypertufa is in a wheelbarrow if you have one available. Or you can also purchase the cheap black tubs available from hardware stores used for mixing mortar and cement. Before starting, wear your dust mask to protect your lungs. Cement and perlite dust are both harmful when inhaled. Mix the dry ingredients in whatever you have available. Once you're done mixing the dry ingredients for the Hypertufa recipe, you can then start slowly adding water to the mix. There is no set amount of water to mix as moisture content present in the dry ingredients will vary considerably from batch to batch. You want a moist, but not soaking wet mixture. Somewhat like wet mortar. Now you should be all set to make your Hypertufa projects. Make sure when you handle the wet Hypertufa, that you wear rubber gloves to protect your hands. Don't know where to go from here? For starters, try learning how to make a Hypertufa trough.

Related - How To Mix Concrete

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How To Find Firefox Password File | Bookmarks File for Backup

In case you ever find yourself in a situation where your computer crashes or the hard drive is corrupted you can restore your Firefox password file and your Firefox bookmarks file in a few simple steps if you go ahead and back them up now. Even if your hard drive fails you may still be able to retrieve some information by adding the hard drive as a slave drive if you're comfortable enough messing with computers. I found myself in the unfortunate situation of a hard drive failure and was able to retrieve most of my files from my old hard drive, including my Firefox bookmarks and passwords files. There's honestly no need to lay down a Benjamin Franklin for the Geek Squad to retrieve your files for you. I now have a Windows Vista, so this information is really intended only for Vista users. Below you'll find the steps to find your Firefox password and bookmarks files for backing up now, before something inevitably happens to your computer.

• Open "Control Panel"



• Double Click "Folder Options"



• Click on the "View" Tab



• Select "Show Hidden Files and Folders"



• Click "Apply"



• Double Click "Computer" or "My Computer?"



• Double "Click OS (C:)"



• Double Click "Users" File



• Double Click the user that you want to retrieve the Firefox password file for



• Double Click the "AppData" folder



• Double Click the "Roaming" folder



• Double Click the "Mozilla" folder



• Double Click the "Firefox" folder



• Double Click the "Profiles" folder



• Double Click the "XXXXXXXX.default" folder

You'll find your current bookmarks.html file here, which you can copy and paste for transfer onto a cd for backup in case of computer or OS crash.

For backing up your password file, you'll actually want to copy the key3.txt file, and the signons3.db file (note these files may end with a 2 (ex. signons2.txt) if you are using an earlier version of Firefox that hasn't been updated. Save these on a crash CD so if you ever have to factory restore your computer or have to resort to buying a new computer you can just replace the files (through this same procedure) when you reinstall Firefox. Be sure to return to the folder options once you're done to "Do not show hidden files and folders" and "Apply". If I've omitted any steps, please feel free to let me know.

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