The number of needles should correspond to the pins on your lock. If your lock has 7 pins, for example, you should use a pick with 7 needles. The tightening bolt should be located on the side of the lock pick. When the bolt feels loose, line the pick up with the lock to make sure that the inner needles are aligned with the lock's pins. Tighten the bolt again after making adjustments when the needles and pins seem to align. If your lock feels stuck at any point, remove it from the lock and twist the bolt loose again. You may need to re-adjust the needles before they fit smoothly into the lock. If your pick's needles are aligned correctly, this should trigger a spring and open the lock. Twist the pick as far to the right as it will go while pressing towards the center of the lock. If the lock still won't open, try re-adjusting the tightening bolt and trying again.

Summary: Make sure that your pick has the correct amount of needles for your lock. Twist the pick's tightening bolt to loosen it. Slide the pick into the lock as far as it will go. Turn the pick to the right.

Give your canary two or three items in their cage to play with. Canaries are especially fond of swings, and yours might even play with balls, bells, or sticks from trees. Open the cage door to let your canary fly around for about thirty minutes. Afterwards, lure them back to their cage by putting some fresh food or treats inside. Once they are inside, close the cage door before they can fly out again. Close all doors and windows before releasing your canary. All windows and mirrors should be covered so that the canary does not fly into them. Make sure to turn off all ceiling fans before letting the canary loose. Typically young male canaries learn to sing from an older male, but if you only have the one canary, you will need to teach them yourself. Use CDs or nature videos of canaries singing to teach them. While rare, sometimes female canaries can learn to sing too. Typically, however, females only chirp. Canaries generally do not like to be held by humans. Limit your handling to when you need to clean the cage or check them for illness. Your canary is perfectly happy watching and singing to you from their cage.

Summary: Stick a few toys in their cage. Let them fly free in a room. Teach males to sing. Avoid handling your canary.

While most credit cards allow cash advances, it doesn't work exactly like using a credit card. Where you might be able to use a credit card even if you're a little late on the payment, this is generally not the case with a cash advance. You typically can't withdraw the entire amount of your credit limit, either, so you'll need to make sure you're not maxed out before you try to make a withdrawal. If you use online banking, you should be able to access this information quickly by logging into your account. If you don't use online banking and you aren't sure about whether you're current on payments or how much you have left on your credit limit, you should call the creditor who issued the card. They'll be able to answer any question you might have about your credit limit or payment history. Don't forget to ask about any fees or special interest rates for cash advances. Before you go to the ATM, remember that your credit card has a different PIN than does your debit card. You'll need to get the PIN for your credit card before you go to the ATM, because it's common for an ATM to freeze an account after a certain number of wrong entries. If you can't remember your PIN, you may be able to reset it. Call your bank and inquire about how to change it. Sometimes it's as easy as calling a 1-800 number, but other banks might send you the new PIN in the mail. Although you can get a cash advance from a bank or in the form of a check delivered by postal mail, the speed and convenience of an ATM withdrawal is part of the appeal. Try and find an ATM from the same bank as issued the cardusing it will be free. If you can't find an ATM from the issuing bank, try an Allpoint ATM. Allpoint is a network of over 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Unfortunately, everyone isn't in the Allpoint network. Check to see if you are at http://www.allpointnetwork.com/.

Summary: Make sure you're current on payments. Call your creditor. Find or set your PIN. Locate an ATM that's convenient and free.

Your future pet will definitely require at least a small financial investment -- think about all the supplies and food your new pet will need. Then create a budget to show your mom how much you think it will cost to maintain the pet. Factor in things like a living space for the pet, food, toys, and trips to the vet. Write down the costs for each aspect of owning the pet so you can present the cost to your mom. For example, if you wanted to get a pet rabbit, you would need a cage, a water feeder, and a food bowl for the rabbit. You would also need rabbit food and a vet check for the rabbit. Your mom may be reluctant to let you have a small pet because she is unsure whether or not you can take care of it. Show her you can by putting together all of your research into a written plan. Write down a daily or weekly timeline for what caring for the pet will look like. Talk about how you plan to make time to care for the animal. For example, you may write out a care plan where you come home from school on weekdays and feed the pet at a set time. You may then note when you are going to play with the pet during the week. On the weekend, you may spend more time playing and caring for the pet, including weekly cleanings of the pet's cage. You can really show your commitment to getting a small pet by saving money to cover the cost of the pet. This will show your mom that you are serious about wanting a pet and are willing to be financially responsible for the pet. Save money for all the things you will have to buy for the pet like a cage, wood chips, or pet toys. If you are too young to get a job, think about ways you can help out around the house, or see if there is a neighbor who would be willing to let you mow their grass or clean up for a little extra money. It can help to let them know you are saving for a pet. While you're working to prove you can handle a pet, it's extra important that you stay on top of your homework and chores. Your mom is unlikely to be convinced that you can care for a pet if you fall behind on responsibilities before you even get one. Commit to getting all your responsibilities done at home on time. Make sure your mom sees how hard you are working to get your chores done as well as your school work.
Summary: Create a budget for the pet. Make a care plan for the pet. Save money for the pet. Stay on top of your responsibilities at home.