Berkshire Pennysaver

There’s Something In It For You!

www.berkshirepennysaver.com February 3, 2011

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Editorial Deadline:20th at noon

the month before publication.

Classified Deadline:February 21, 2011

Display Deadline:February 21, 2011

Auto ....................................... 10Business Directory .................. 2Classifieds ................................ 3Soduko Puzzle ....................... 11Help Wanted .......................... 12Real Estate ............................. 11

Penny SaverBerkshire

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2 Berkshire Penny Saver February 3, 2011

Manager’s Memo Last month I wrote that 22 inches of snow

makes me cranky, well do you know what 46 inches of snow does to me? It makes me abso-lutely crazy. I cannot wait for January to be over with but I see no end in sight to this weather. We are either dealing with the frigid cold or the snow; there has been no in-between. I was so happy the other day when I saw the temperature was in the double digits...that was until I saw the minus sign in front of the numbers. Once it got up to minus 4, my husband and I grabbed our

beach chairs, beer and sat out on our deck in the sunshine. We both felt the need for vitamin D. Our daughters thought we were crazy, so they took pictures and, of course, plastered them all over Facebook. Everyone thought we were nuts!

The other thing I mentioned in my article last month was one of my New Year’s resolutions was to lose weight. I have done two interesting things this month to help myself along. I will share one with you this month and then I will share the other with you in our next issue. The first thing I did was to see a Holistic nutri-tional doctor. Not sure if you have ever experienced this but it was quite interest-

ing and eye opening. Since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in June I have been totally gluten-free, but I still had some symptoms that would not go away. I would feel good for two or three days and then ill again. I kept thinking I was getting contaminated somewhere, but I had my blood work done every 3 months and my Celiac numbers had finally returned normal. When I was diagnosed in June my number was 128, normal is 4 or below. The last time I had blood work done in December my number had dropped to 5, so I knew I was on the right track but just felt there was something else going on. Since I had every test done under the sun I figured it had to be food related. Something other than gluten was affecting the way I felt.

So, I went for the initial holistic testing which lasted almost three hours. First she tested all types of food and come to find out the only thing my body likes is protein. I have an issue with dairy, soy, starches, etc. - the list goes on. The second thing she did was a body scan. I figured she was going to hook me up to this big machine, but all of the testing was done by the doctor pressing against my arm and me pressing back. She could determine everything just on my strength. As she pressed each body part and organ she pressed against my arm. My arm went completely weak when she touched my thyroid and my liver. Which indicates that these are both stressed and not working properly. My mother has had thyroid

Renee Tassone, General Manager

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February 3, 2011 Berkshire Penny Saver 3

800.234.1432Classifieds 800.234.1432

editorial [email protected]

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Renee Tassone, General ManagerLinda Devlin, Circulation ManagerSarah Masiero, Advertising SalesCarrie Devlin, Advertising SalesLinda Perry Advertising SalesMelissa Miller, Art Director

Jen Hathaway, ArtistChris Sobolowski, Artist

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Deadline*:20th of Prior Month

*Deadlines will change due to Holidays. See special deadline notices

published before major holidays.

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Submission Guidelines: Those wishing to submit event listings or editorial content may email [email protected].

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Notice: The Berkshire Penny Saver will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The publisher reserves the sole right to edit, revise, or reject any and all advertising, with or without cause being assigned, which in the publisher’s judgement is contrary to the interests of this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

©2008, Hersam Acorn Newspapers. All contents of the Berkshire Penny Saver News are copyrighted, and any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Martin Hersam, Chief Operating OfficerThomas B. Nash, Publisher

Penny SaverBerkshire

disease for 45 years but mine has always showed up normal in my blood work. The third part of the visit was testing to see what supplements your body needs. She placed all of the different supplements on my chest to see how the strength in my arm was, if it went weak then it meant my body did not want that specific supplement. Then she puts multiple bottles of supplements on my chest to see what ones would work nicely together with me and which ones wouldn’t. Funny, my body rejected vitamin D, the very thing I crave the most. To determine how many pills I should take a day she would place the pills in the palm of my hand one by one. She would continue to add another pill until my arm went weak. Then she would take the last one out of my hand and my arm would be strong again, and that would be the magical number of pills to take a day.

I am sure you are wondering how this has been working. Well I have drastically changed my diet, which I will talk about how I was able to do it in my next month’s memo. I have lost seven pounds in the last 3 weeks. The most that I have lost in a long time, because one of my symptoms with Celiac was that I was gaining weight at rapid speed. Once I went gluten-free my weight held steady. I hadn’t gained or lost anything since I have been on the gluten free diet. So far, I am pleased and I will continue to work hard because I want to be successful with my New Year’s resolution! I hope you are all doing well with yours.

This month check out our Meet the Merchants section. It gives our advertisers a chance to describe what they do. Please remember to tell them you saw their ad in the Yankee Shopper and Berkshire Penny Saver.

As always we encourage your feedback. Feel free to send us your press releases to [email protected] or [email protected]. Check us out online at www.ishopberkshires.com.

-Renee Tassone, General Manager

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(ARA) - Have you ever dreamed of getting paid for something you love to do? Like turning those cookies that your friends rave about into a cookie store? Expanding the sales of the jewelry that you make for the local arts and crafts fair to others? Selling used golf equipment that you clean and fix up on eBay? Or getting paid to help people install and maintain their complicated home electronics?

Each year, thousands of Americans take the leap and start a business, leveraging their expertise and passion for a particular interest or hobby. In fact, more than 600,000 new businesses are launched every year in the United States, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

If you’re ready to turn your hobby into a business, it’s essential, according to FindLaw.com, the world’s leading online source for legal information, to do your research, build a business plan, tap the expertise of outside professionals such as an accountant and attorney, and keep good records to avoid the ire of the Internal Revenue Service. Through careful research and planning, you’ll discover what the potential is for your business idea, and what pitfalls to avoid that may otherwise derail you from realizing your dream.

Here are some tips for turning your hobby into a business from FindLaw.com:

Research your idea. The very first step in turning your hobby into a busi-ness is to find out who will buy your product or service, how much they’re willing to pay for it, how many of these people there are, and where they’re

located. It’s critical to understand your “topline” - the sales potential for your product or service.

Get free help. Trial and error is an essential part of the entrepreneurial experience. But making big, costly mistakes that have the potential of killing your business is something to be avoided. Tapping the experience of sea-soned business professionals can help you avoid such mistakes, and provide you perspective in times of great stress. One piece of advice: find a mentor. If you’re not comfortable finding one yourself, check out the Small Business Administration’s SCORE program, a 12,000-strong, nationwide group of retired executives who volunteer their expertise to help small business owners grow and succeed.

Write a business plan. Put your ideas on paper to test their viability and improve your chances for success. A business plan is a very useful tool - it gives you and others, such as your accountant, banker or attorney, a clear idea of your goals, the processes you’ll implement to achieve those goals and how you’ll measure your success.

Have a clear plan for funding. Whether you’re financing your efforts out of your own pocket, or require capital from others to expand, you need to know where your start-up capital will come from (if you need it), whether you will be servicing a debt and what resources you can call upon in the future. Many entrepreneurs start with friends, family and people in their community to fund their initial efforts.

Turn Your Hobby Into a Small Business

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Meet The Merchants


Know how you’re going to bring in revenue. What you make, after all of your expenses and taxes have been paid, is your profit. It’s the ultimate mea-sure of your business’ success. Before you decide to start a business, you need to project whether the revenues (sales of your product or services) will exceed your expenses. This will give you a clear idea of whether you should consider turning your hobby into a business.

Set up your business structure. Contact an attorney who specializes in working with small businesses to get advice on the proper legal structure under which you should incorporate your business, or first visit FindLaw.com’s Do-It-Yourself Legal Forms to learn more about how to incorporate your business. Incorporating your business can help protect your personal assets from liabilities like creditors or lawsuits.

Make it real. One of the advantages of starting a small business is that you can deduct losses such as your expenses and depreciation on assets you pur-chase - to offset taxable income. It’s best to consult an accountant who special-izes in small business to obtain advice on preventative measures you can take to avoid being audited. Some basic steps to take to clearly demonstrate you’re in business, versus treating your efforts as a hobby, are to obtain federal and state tax identification numbers, print up business cards and letterhead, main-tain a set of books to record sales and expenses, set up a separate bank account for your business and keep a logbook in your vehicle to record mileage.

Get the proper licenses and permits. Depending upon the type of business you start, you may need to get a permit(s) or occupational license from your city or state. Many cities and counties require every business - even single-

owner, home-based operations - to get a business license (tax registration certificate). You also may have to get a sales tax permit from your state.

Protect your idea. In the course of pursuing your hobby, you may create a new process for doing something, a product or a creative brand name. If you think it has any potential, run - don’t walk - to an attorney who specializes in intellectual property to seek a trademark or patent on your idea. Be very cautious about sharing your idea with anyone, who, in the future, could claim that he or she helped you with developing that idea and therefore deserves a cut of your revenues.

Invest in a website. If you want people to know about your new business, you must have a website. Most people now immediately turn to the Internet to find products and services to meet their needs, as well as to find informa-tion such as directions and contact information. Nearly equally as important, invest time to set up a Facebook and LinkedIn page for your business, adver-tise your services online through Google, and consider banner ads on other websites.

Create a workspace. What are the space needs for your new business? Do you require storage space? Industrial strength refrigeration? Extra power? Two sewing machines? A quiet place to make uninterrupted phone calls? According to the Small Business Administration, more than half of America’s small businesses are operated from a home, which offers important tax advantages. However, it’s important to carefully follow IRS rules and clearly designate space for your business from personal space.

To learn more about how to start a new business, visit FindLaw.com.

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Meet The Merchants


New Year, New you: Great Tips for Healthy Skin, Hair and Nails

(ARA) - The new year is a great time to make some resolutions to keep your skin, hair and nails healthy. Your dermatologist can help you with these resolutions. Dermatologists are medical doctors who have extensive training, experience and passion for keeping skin, hair, and nails throughout a person’s lifetime. Here are some tips to keep you healthy looking from head to toe.

Protect yourself from the sun. Help prevent signs of aging, such as age spots and fine lines, as well as significantly decrease your risk of developing skin cancer by using sunscreen, wearing protective clothing (a long-sleeved shirt, pants, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses) and seeking shade when appropriate. Choose a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 30 and broad-spectrum protection (protects against ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays).

Do not use tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling.

Perform a skin self-exam. Examining your skin for suspicious moles and other lesions could save your life. Use the American Academy of Dermatology’s body mole map, located at www.melanomamonday.org, to record your moles and learn how to perform a proper skin exam. If you find a suspicious lesion, make an appointment to see a dermatologist.

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Health & Fitness


(ARA) - Saving money is a big deal these days, but you don’t want to skimp on those Valentine’s Day gifts you plan to give to your spe-cial someone.

Jewelry, chocolates and flow-ers of course are very popular gift items for the romantic holiday, but that can mean those items are higher in price - due to their popu-larity. Here are some hints to help you find fantastic gifts for every-one and keep some change in your pocket - without skimping.

* Sales, sales, sales, what more do you need?

Retailers recognize that every-one is looking for sales when it comes to Valentine’s Day gifts. And by combining coupons, discounts and sale prices, you can get some pretty good deals on Valentine’s Day favorites like Godiva chocolate. You’ll be tempting your Valentine’s sweet tooth with assorted flavors combining delicious chocolate with favorites like cashews and cherries, or let-ting the chocolate stand on its own in a beautiful dark setting. Check the fliers, go online and compare everything.

* Reduce the price and get a rebate.

Online shopping is growing in popularity because you save time, and money with great sites like Ebates.com. You can find coupons and discount codes for more than 1,200 online stores, and you will also get a check back in the mail for a percentage of your purchases. If you’re interested in buying some sparkly jewelry, click on Blue Nile. You’ll not only browse the beauti-ful diamonds and gemstones that will have her gasping in awe, but also discover that you can earn 2.5 percent cash back when you make your purchase online.

* Coupons are backBrowsing through your newspa-

per’s advertisements can find you plenty of good deals on Valentine’s Day gifts. You might also find suc-cess with coupon magazines. But don’t forget to look online - if you’re shopping for jewelry, the local store might have a printable coupon you can bring in for a discount on what

you purchase.* Go big for extra savings.If you’re interested in flowers

for all your Valentines, don’t miss out on the 15 percent cash back you can get ordering all your flowers online through Ebates.com. Make sure you check every-one off on your list - your mom, your sweetheart, your daughter and your sister. To make this gift extra special, do a little research and find out their favorite flow-ers or colors, and then design the bouquet specifically around that theme.

When they unwrap the gifts you thoughtfully picked gifts for them this Valentine’s Day, you know there will be a lot of smiles and hugs, and maybe even a tear or two.

Save Money While Shopping for Great Gifts for Your Valentines

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Valentine’s Day Ideas


— by Susan J. Coons

...vacation...I was on vacation from December 14 to

January 3. During the first week I was in complete Internet withdrawal: pacing the floor, snacking, drinking, calling the office, more snacking, more drinking, almost tear-ing my hair out! I felt completely cut off from the rest of the world. By the time I returned to work, my addiction was under control and I really could take or leave the Internet. Now that’s progress!

I had a little shopping to do before Christmas so thought I’d bring Jill. She loves to ride in the car and see the cows and horses. Usually I park the car near K-Mart but this time I parked it in front of Jay’s Hallmark and Radio Shack, where I was going to shop. Jill bolted from the car and romped toward K-Mart. She looked back to see if I was coming and then continued her sprint. She walked in with shoppers and a few seconds later she exited with folks carrying packages. She started to run toward me but then decided to again run into the store. She was jogging up and down the check out aisles by the time I entered K-Mart. Children and their parents were laughing at her with Jill lapping up all the attention. A store clerk finally grabbed her collar and after exchang-ing a “thank you” and “she’s such a pretty girl” comment, I clipped on the leash and escorted her back to the car. Her Christmas browsing came to

an abrupt end.Jill was up at 6 a.m. the morn-

ing of the two-foot plus snow-fall after Christmas. She had to go out but I couldn’t budge the door more than three inches. She was dancing in place while I struggled with the door...shoving and shoving with it not moving! Ah ha! A bright idea struck! I took out the glass storm door and she was able

to jump through. I then leaned out the door myself, grabbed the snow shovel, and shoveled the way clear to open the door and let her back in!

I enjoyed a happy Christmas and quiet New Year with my family. I’m glad to be back at work. I’m still preparing my kitchen for a complete renovation. My son will be clearing the decks and putting in all new cabinets, a knee wall, and more. I’ll take pictures!

Happy New Year!

■ FROM MY CORNER ■

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