I haven’t regretted it for a minute, but we’ve come to that time where Charlotte’s health is failing. She has a thyroid problem, hip dysplasia, liver problems and a bad knee. I would wager we’ve spent thousands of dollars over the last few years to get a little more time with her.

All the medication and prescription foods don’t seem to help that much anymore.

Our vet told us we have already gone above and beyond what many pet owners would do for their dogs, and I am proud to say I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. At some point, though, pet owners have to look at their beloved pet’s quality of life and make an incredibly tough decision.

So, what does this post have to do with finances? A lot.

When you’re thinking of adding a pet to the family, you have to budget for it. You have to pay for food, toys, accessories and routine veterinarian visits, which become more frequent as the animal ages. Then, you also have to account for emergencies. Ask yourself how far you’re willing to go for your pet and make sure to set aside money to help you. Also, consider getting pet insurance for the routine things.

And, obviously, do not adopt a pet without looking at the financial side of it and never get a pet on a whim.

For the pet lovers out there, how do you budget to include your pet?

We chose to send her to the Tiny Tim Center not only for its incredible staff but also because of their work with special-needs children. While my daughter is not a special-needs child, I wanted her to be around children with special needs to learn not to be shy towards or afraid of them like I was when I was younger.

Obviously, not everyone will be able to send their child to Tiny Tim, but at some point that child will likely go to preschool. If you’re a new parent or your child is getting ready for preschool, you probably should start thinking about how you’ll pay for it now.

According to babycenter.com, the average costs range from $4,056 to $11,678 per year. That’s a good chunk of change, but for your child, wouldn’t it be worth it?

Affording preschool really goes back to the basics: budgeting. Factor that expense in with your daily expenses and be ready to make concessions, if necessary.

Setting up another savings account could help you keep the money for junior’s education separate; funnel a portion of each paycheck into that savings account, so it’s there when you need it. It’s how my wife and I have budgeted for Tiny Tim. So far, I think it’s working perfectly.

What other ideas do you have?

When I think of park rangers, I think of the big national parks, like Yellowstone, but there are also ample jobs within metro areas. As the article points out, some of inner-city parks include important ones like New York City’s Statue of Liberty, Boston’s Bunker Hill Monument and Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

These inner-city parks, according to the article, are often hard to keep staffed, since so many people think of park rangers only being out in the wilderness. As Chief Ranger Jill Hawk points out, “There are park rangers in the inner city protecting the national heritage of the U.S.”

I don’t know about you, but that sounds like it would be pretty amazing. Making a career out of being a park ranger sounds promising, too: According to the article, annual salaries run up to $50,000 per year.

What do you think? If you were fresh out of college and were having troubles finding work, would you consider becoming a park ranger?

I have been laid off from a job before – a couple of years ago, in fact – but I was only out of action for three months. It certainly was a huge bundle of stress in my life, and I have no idea how anyone could deal with being unemployed for longer than that.

During my unemployment, at the one-month mark, I was picking up freelance work whenever I found it. At two months, I was considering changing fields to find something to help pay the bills, and at three months, I was getting desperate.

Yesterday’s news news made me think back to one of the first posts on this blog, which dealt specifically with how to handle losing your job. It’s a scary fact that right now there are a lot of people struggling, and I really feel for them.

Something that I have trouble understanding is when people refuse to take jobs that they feel are beneath them. If you’re out of work for that long, wouldn’t it be wise to find a job to help pay the bills? Unemployment benefits have been extended, but in a tight market, doesn’t it show a willingness to get the job done if you’re not as picky about where you get a job?

I’m not trying to place blame on anyone or belittle their tough situation; I’ve been there, and I was lucky to get through it relatively quickly. I really want to know what people think when it comes to unemployment.

Share your thoughts here or on Facebook or Twitter!

You can stop in to one of our 12 locations or go online and enjoy a pain-free lending and auto-buying experience. We’ve got you covered with:

• Loans for refinancing
• Loans for purchasing new or used autos
• Flexible terms to meet your needs
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All that’s probably nice to hear, but you probably want to know what the rate is.  Well, how would fixed annual percentage rates as low as 4.0%* sound?  Hurry, though, since this offer expires September 30, 2010.

* Well-qualified buyers receive the fixed 4.0% annual percentage rate with up to a 60-month terms. No down payment required. Repayments on the loan must be made monthly. Good for up to 100% LTV. Other restrictions may apply. Offer expires 9/30/10.

Two-thirds of people asked said finding enough information about financial planning for special needs children difficult. In fact, 85% of parents ask their doctor for financial advice. If you are a new parent and your child has special needs, by all means look for the financial planning help you’ll need.

MetLife has a ton of information available on their site. Hopefully, you won’t have to worry about it, but if you do, please look it up.

Like the couple in the video said: Having a special needs child is like planning for retirement for three people.

According to the FTC, repeated calls are the biggest complaint, followed by obscene language, inconvenient calls and violence. As an example, the article mentions a woman who said that a debt collector repeatedly called her house, verbally abusing her and her husband. When they stopped answering the agency’s call, the debt collector resorted “to calling her estranged sister, an ex-boyfriend and her husband’s ex-wife’s mother.”

Remember, as the article points out, you do not have to tolerate underhanded tactics, like threatening phone calls or calls at odd hours of the day (before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.). If a debt collector tries any of these techniques on you, point out the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to the person on the other end of the line.

Be sure to read the article, including a response from the spokesman from The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals.

We’d love to have you share your thoughts with us.

While I knew they were a collections agency, the woman never said what her company did, and she even identified the company by an acronym and not the name that showed up in caller ID. While trying to figure out why this woman had called me, she mentioned that she had been repeatedly unsuccessful in trying to get in touch with my neighbors. So, she wanted me to put her name and number on a piece of paper and tape it to my neighbor’s door.

I was completely shocked and didn’t know what to say. After she got off the phone, I started wondering what other tactics debt collectors use. Just today, I ran across an article on CNN Money that talks to 10 former debt collectors, who discuss their tactics.

The whole process made me wonder if I were ever in the situation of having a collections agency call me, do I have any rights? CNN Money had me covered again with this article. Digging a little deeper, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lists our rights, if you’re ever curious.

The whole ordeal was quite the learning experience for me. Has anything like this ever happened to you and how did you handle it?

Colorado is represented by five towns, with three being in the top 25. Those towns are:

6. Fort Collins
12. Highlands Ranch
19. Broomfield
33. Loveland
58. Arvada

According to the editors, the 2006 winner, Fort Collins, was hurt because the school district has had such trouble with funding through the recession.  Loveland, though, was a pleasant surprise for me, since it is one of my favorite towns in Colorado.  

It makes me wonder what kind of impact these towns will see after receiving such notice.  Will they see an influx of people moving to them?  Will it stay the same?  Could it draw in more businesses to the region?

What do you think? Tell us why in the comments below or over on Facebook or Twitter!

Think about it. They have gotten their first job and are bringing home a steady paycheck. Now, they have to learn to take care of that money, and as the parent, you’re the best person to teach them.

Stern points out four key pieces to this talk:

All in all, it’s very good advice. For those of you who have recently had teen kids, what other lessons can you share?

Post in the comments, on Facebook or Twitter!