Problem: Article: The longer you can keep running it, the better. Unless, of course, your old car is costing you more money than what you can afford to put into it. Once the car is paid for (60 months on a standard car loan), keep the car in good operating condition and continue to drive it. As you commute with your car to work and elsewhere, make sure to keep making your monthly payments into a savings account. Scenario = If you make 400 dollar monthly payments on your Jeep, and pay it off in 4 years, the Jeep can be driven for at least another year or two. If you continue to make 400 dollar payments to your savings account for 16 months, you will have a total of 6400 dollars to put down towards a new car. You can do this for longer and be able to pay for the new car in full. Many employers allow you to control how you want your paychecks deposited. If possible, have your monthly payment direct-deposited into this new account. This ensures that you won't be tempted to use those funds for other expenses throughout the month. Too many times you may feel tempted to buy a new car when your old one is doing just fine. The Beemers and Benzes are nice, but they'll make you broke unless you can afford it.
Summary: Stick it out with your old car. Keep the old care in good condition. Keep up the payments. Consider opening a separate bank account dedicated to saving for your new car. Don't get caught up in the wants of life.

Problem: Article: If you want to show your horse in a dressage competition, you should consider getting professional training beforehand. A professional outside point of view will be able to recognize any mistakes you might be overlooking in form, technique, or commands. You should be able to contact a local equestrian club (or even your horse veterinarian or other dressage enthusiasts) for recommendations about who to ask for private dressage lessons for you and your horse. Try attending a clinic for beginners with your horse if you can't afford a professional trainer. You can also buy instructional DVDs or books illustrating what to do. Memorize and practice the USDF Training Level tests. Ride them for a certified instructor and ask them for some tips on what you should work on. When you take the tests, a judge will give you a scorecard with information on how well you and your horse performed during the test. Each test is conducted on an individual basis with one horse (and rider) performing on their own for each level of the test. The USDF tests your skills in some of the following areas: tracking right or left, free walking, halting and saluting, changing reins, and circling right or left. Here is the fun part. Research any schooling shows in your area and enter your horse in them. After you ride your test for the judge, you will receive a score sheet with an assessment of what you did well and what you scored poorly on. Try to take all criticism well, as the judge did take the time to write up the scoresheet for you. Remember that your first show is really just a test run since you've never done it before. Give yourself permission to do poorly because you are learning how the system works and what is expected in these kinds of competitions. There are many national and international dressage competitions around the world including the US Dressage Finals, the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Championships, and the North American Juniors and Young Riders' Championships.
Summary: Get professional dressage instruction. Practice the USDF tests. Show your horse.

Problem: Article: Changing your eating and drinking habits can help maintain white teeth. Some foods are more likely to stain teeth and some can help maintain whiteness. Most types of berries, like blueberries, blackberries, and cherries, can stain teeth with streaks of blue, purple, or red. Strawberries, however, are acidic enough that they can actually whiten by breaking down bacteria causing stains and can also be used with baking soda to brighten your teeth. Be careful when drinking wine and coffee. Both tend to stain teeth. If you really want a cup of coffee with breakfast or wine with dinner, sip water while drinking. Slosh the water around in your mouth to remove any excess coffee or wine to prevent staining. Adding milk or cream to coffee can also reduce staining. Seeds, nuts, and other harder grains that require chewing can help whiten teeth. This helps rub off plaque, which contributes to tooth decay and staining. Perhaps the best way to keep teeth white is simply through proper care. Brush, floss, and use mouth wash on a regular basis. Most people brush their teeth in the morning and before bed. Sticking to a routine like this can help you maintain regular care, but you should also brush your teeth after eating anything high in sugar. The acids from sugary snacks require prompt removal. Replace your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months and make sure to floss daily. You should also use some kind of mouthwash, such as chlorhexidine mouthwash, to combat bad breath and add extra protection to your teeth. Regular dental checkups are important for a variety of reasons. In order to keep your teeth white and healthy, make sure to see a dentist at least once a year.
Summary: Change your diet. Practice good oral hygiene. See a dentist once a year.

Problem: Article: With a text, you have 160 characters to send a great message. You don't have to reply to your crush's text instantaneously. Deliver a response after you've had some time to think about it. Make sure that you have an unlimited texting plan or that you are tracking the number of texts that you send carefully. You don't want you or your parents to get a nasty surprise when the cell phone bill arrives. Abbreviations can make you look shallow and flighty. Save the abbreviations for your BFFs and use complete sentences and capitalization when you text your crush. Smilies or sad faces are okay, but you need to be pretty certain that your crush likes you back before using a flirty emoticon. Definitely be at least 99% sure that they like you before using a love emoticon. Don't text them too often. Texting once or twice a week is good enough. You don't want to look desperate.
Summary:
Take your time. Avoid racking up phone charges. Skip the abbreviations. Use emoticons with caution. Make sure your crush starts the conversation at some point.