It is a metal tool that is used to secure the rubber band around the scrotum. Don't use household office supplies for banding. The bands should be thick enough and tight enough to lead to castration within a few weeks. Store your castration bands in the refrigerator until they are ready for use. This will keep the rubber from breaking down. Always check the rubber ring for elasticity/ breakage before applying it, simply put it on the tool and squeeze the handles to stretch the rubber ring. It should not break/ rip and be free of any cracks. You will need some antiseptic spray in case of infection. Take your goat kid to the veterinarian at the first sign of an infection.

Summary: Purchase an elastrator from a farm and ranch supply store. Buy castration bands. Ask your local veterinarian to provide pain reliever and tetanus anti-toxin.

If you decide to tackle your bee problem on your own, you'll need to cover all exposed parts of your body to protect yourself from stings. Layer thick, long-sleeved clothing with work boots, gloves and eye and face protection to minimize your risk of being stung. Getting stung multiple times can prove fatal, so don't put yourself at unnecessary risk. Killer bee venom is no stronger than that of common varieties of honey bee, but they tend to swarm in overwhelming numbers and are much more easily provoked. Avoid wearing strong fragrances or causing a commotion when preparing to raid a killer bee nest. Unusual stimuli may draw their attention and incite them to swarm. Combine one part liquid dish soap with four parts water and mix thoroughly. Fill a plastic spray bottle with the soap solution. Adding soap will cause a higher concentration of water to stick to the bees and infiltrate their orifices, effectively drowning them. Natural pesticide mixtures like soap and water provide a welcome alternative to using chemical agents that can harm other species and damage the environment. Spray the soapy solution liberally onto whatever bees you come across. The soap and water solution may take longer than a chemical pesticide to show signs that it's working, but its effects should be similar. After you've found the nest, flood any openings in its surface with soapy water to drown out bees hiding within. Using a liquid spraying system in place of a spray bottle might make it easier to reach nests that are built deep inside narrow openings. If you've managed to locate the nest, the nexus of your bee problem, you're going to want to remove and destroy the comb. Most Africanized honey bees make their nests in ordinary enclosed spaces, but construct fibrous networks inside known as "combs," where they live, reproduce and manufacture honey. Once most of the bees around the nest have been dealt with, the comb itself can be thrown away, crushed or burnt. When handling a hive or comb, watch out for any bees that might remain inside. Thoroughly rinse the area where the nest was found with a garden hose after it's been disposed of to eliminate scents that might attract other bees. Even if you can't afford to retain the services of a professional bee remover, or if the bees pose an immediate threat and time is of the essence, you might still be able to have the nest comb removed without cost after you've dealt with the worst of the infestation. Many beekeeping groups and some animal control services will dispatch people to collect hives and combs, for study or disposal. See if this option is available before attempting to remove a killer bee nest yourself.

Summary: Make sure you're completely covered. Mix up a solution of soap and water. Apply the solution to the bees and nest. Remove the comb. Call an expert to come remove the comb.

When you see the roots of your seedling begin to stretch along the surface of the container or out the drainage holes, it's time to repot. Find a pot that's at least twice as large as the one it's in and fill it halfway with a mixture of potting soil and compost.

Summary: Repot when the roots outgrow the container.

If you're the old-school type who loves to balance their checkbook, more power to you! But know that emerging technology is making it easier than ever to track your expenses in real time, and with more sophisticated software. Mint.com, Quicken, and wallet.ai are all powerful online tools that will help you keep track of expenses and budget for the future. Budgeting is like dieting. A lot of people start with majestic intentions. Then, when they fail to see results within two months, or when they start getting bored, they throw their hands up and quit, telling themselves it's not worth it. Don't give up before the battle has even started. Prepare yourself by acknowledging that budgets take a lot of time and a little effort. Try to give yourself a full year of budgeting to determine whether it makes any difference in your finances. If, after a year of steady, scrupulous budgeting, it still hasn't made a dent in your savings or put a wad of cash in your pocket, feel free to re-evaluate. You won't be disappointed. . No, an emergency fund is not the same thing as your savings fund. An emergency fund is 6 to 12 months' worth of living expenses, frittered away for you guessed it an emergency. What if you lose your job? What if your daughter needs to go to the hospital? A host of emergencies can potentially burn a hole in your pocket. Being prepared is the best step, and one that makes a difference in your budget. . A tax refund, if you're entitled to it, can be a huge windfall. Imagine getting a thousand, or two thousand dollars, without really expecting it. Knowing how to spend this potential windfall, however, can be pretty tricky, especially if you're barely above water. Think about contributing to your emergency or savings fund instead of spending it on a new flat-screen TV. According to AARP, American households hold an average of $8,400 in debt. That's a lot of cheese a lot of cheese you owe somebody else. If you happen to pay off your debt each month with your income, that's great. But if you're like many other people, you might be struggling to pay off your debts each month, meaning that you have to attack things a little more strategically. Which debts to you pay off first? High-interest debt or low interest-debt? Attacking low-interest debt and paying off certain debt lines altogether is called "snowballing." Attacking high-interest debt first is called "avalanching." If you're highly-motivated to pay off debts, go for avalanching. High-interest debts can gather up lots of compound interest fast, making this approach ultimately cheaper. If you need help motivating yourself, however, you might want to try snowballing, even if it means you'll pay more.
Summary: Seek out technological help. Don't give it all up at the first sign of failure. Start contributing to an emergency fund Spend your tax refund wisely Pay off your debts slowly but surely.