Best vehicle for beginners?

Okay, so I’m 24. Lived in Montreal since I was 16. No one I know here drives – it just isn’t really the thing to do. I never took driving lessons and don’t know anything about cars. In a few months I’ll be moving to a small town, and I’ll have to learn how to drive and buy a car.

I’ve done a bit of searching questions similar to mine about good first cars. It seems the general consensus is whatever’s low-maintenance and cheap on insurance, so I’ll do a bit more research on those things when the time comes. But right now I’m wondering about vehicle types.

I have a few pets, and we move around a lot, so a bigger vehicle seems more practical for our living conditions. Like a van, jeep, truck, etc. But they seem pretty hard on gas costs. There’s a lot of little cars I read about that are pretty good with mileage and general costs, but the size might be a problem.

So that’s my question. What’s the best type of vehicle for a beginner? Cost and handling-wise. Van, SUV, punch buggy, etc? Is it possible to get a bigger vehicle like a truck that’s cheap on gas? Sorry if I’m wordy, the car world is intimidating!




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I was told that I need a breeders license to breed my dogs and sell their puppies. They are Yorkshire Terriers so I was going to breed them once to see how it goes. Since they are small dogs I want it to go 100% perfect (yes I know that nothing is 100% perfect but you know what I mean) If not I wasn’t going to breed them again and get them fix. Do I still need the license to do this?
Also I was going to get a siberian husky, but the city only lets us to have ONLY 2 PETS AT A TIME, and my sister is living with me and her dog. (which is also a small dog and very old) So when I do get the husky that will make 4 dogs and my parents’ cat. (which is really really old, she is starting to lose her mind) Is there a license that I can get to keep all of them??? I really take good care of all of them, a lot of people say that they will never treat their dog like that, and they are really good trained. Always does what I tell them to.




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I think it is sad enough pet owner’s have been through this the least thing companies can do is pay the vet bills. Why does the law do nothing to really help!!!????
I think what they are getting away with is wrong and some people can not afford these bills what about those poor pets?




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Who is in the wrong, who has the rights?

We obtained another dog at pets in the park from a women about 60 or 65 who had health problems. we didnt plan on it, but this dog was so cute i had to pet it. i didnt know the dog was in need of a beetter home with people that could actually take care of her as this old women had failing health, and the puppy was and still is VERY active. so i fall in love with this dog and the women says shes up for adoption and explains her situation. we consider and our first initial thought is that our 6yr old dog wont take to this new one. and we consider it more and the women says handing me the leash ”oh, take her, walk around with her and see how you like her” so we walk around with her and by this point i have fallen in love witrh this dog, so we tell the women all this stuff and whatever and we tell her our dog may not take to her but this women shes practically begging us to take it. so we take it under the presumption that we discussed being a trial on OUR end if our dog takes to her and this women leaves in tears distraught, after more conversation and her friend with some dogs in a stroller that has A SIGN on it saying something like up for adoption on it which we didnt even notice said its for the best and all that crap. long story short, we couldnt get the papers , give any of our info, or leave money cause the women left in tears and wouldnt accept any money. so i fone 2 weeks later her saying were keeping the dog and our dog has taken to her and the women says ” umm sorry that wont be and option” so meanly and we haven’t answered her calls and we licenced the dog under us and the women wants to charge us wirth theft and has filed the dog as stolen. whe found that out when we got a call from a constable who also says that the women told her that the women was at our house to get the dog and she saw the dog get pulled away from the window and the lights go out, when we didnt give her any of our info an she practically abandons the dog with us, we don’t turn our lights on till about 10:00, their is nowhere for the dog to get up and look out the window and if she came to get the dog, and she didnt come to the house. and apparently her failing health is fixed now. we consulted with a lawyer and he thinks this women might be unstable and he says we are in the right, but i just dont know.
Also EVERYONE else asked or said that this women is or sounds crazy
also it may go to court but we would have to do mediation and my parent would have to miss work, and we would lose income and on top of that this women is insane and we cant reason with her. This women also put up a kijiji add (Its taken down now, but can still be seen) and it was 0.00! Proving that this psycho path advertised more then just the sign on the stroller




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Best temporary used vehicle?

I’m going to college in New York and I need a vehicle to get me by for 1-3 years, but something I’m most likely going to sell after I’m done with it. Here are my stipulations:

1. It won’t be driven much. Maybe 10-20 miles/day, at most 6 days/week, which is about 120mi/week (and only during school).
2. It will need to be suitable for New York winters in the snow.
3. Only me using it (and no pets).
4. I’d prefer high gas mileage (no SUVs).
5. I’d prefer one with a cheap insurance premium.
6. It should cost under 00, so obviously it will be used.
7. I don’t care about any other perks. I don’t need a radio/sound system, moon roof, whatever. This is strictly an A to B vehicle.

There are lots of choices on sites like craigslist (I’m not sure where else to look), but I’m not good with which model/make does what and has that. I understand that there’s an unknown factor when it comes to used vehicles. So statistically speaking, and if all my options are in "good" condition, which vehicle would be the best for my needs?

This is advice that could be helpful to lots of college students, so I hope to see some thought-provoking answers.

Also, recommendations on how to approach a user car seller will be very appreciated. Do I ask him to drive me to an appraiser? What else should I know?

Thank you!




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okay,,, a bit of a complicated situation. My fiancee and I lived together in Maryland and 2 months ago he got a job back home in PA. I have been staying in Maryland, showing the house after work, at a job I have worked for the last 2 years. Two months ago, when I found out, I spoke with my boss about the upcoming move. I told them It all depended on when the house sold, so it was difficult to give a date. They put me in for a transfer at 2 stores in the area of where I will be moving. I have heard back from the one store, and they will have an opening in January. Well, living in the house by myself I have very very little money. I can no longer afford to travel back and forth to my job here, and we have a lot of showing requests, that I must be in home for (we have pets and other items in the home so I have to be there) anyway, am hoping the house will sell in a couple of months since the showings are so high. So last month I told them the best I could do was estimate a time to leave, so I picked November 20th. Still no house sale. I have 3 months to transfer to one of the new stores in PA so that my health insurance will be reinstated, but I can’t relocate yet becuase I do not have the finances to put everything in storage so that I can leave the house empty to show. I also do not have any place to stay in PA if I did decide to go there. Am I elligible to collect unemployment insurance until I can move to PA and be transfered to another store in the same company? I do not know if I have really "quit" as I requested to be transferred and my boss had set that in motion, but there will be a gap. I contacted the unemployment office, but am waiting to hear back in the meantime…. any ideas?




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I want to see if I can go to peoples houses and give their pets vaccinations if I become a vet texh




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Does anyone feed their dogs raw dog food?

I have recently been reading about a lot of the benefits from feeding raw food to dogs such as healthier digestion, skin, teeth, improved energy, weight control, and so on.
I have two dogs who could both benefit from it if this really does help. My German Shepherd has always had horrible digestion problems, allergies, and just about everything in the book wrong with her and I have tried many different dried foods but none of them completely do the trick.
My Miniature Pinscher could also do with losing some weight and in general being healthier.

Has anyone put their dogs on raw food and if so have you seen any changes or results within your pets? Would you recommend changing the diet for my girls?




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Do you feed your dog a raw diet?

If so, what is your dog’s weight and how much do you feed them? Also, do you make your own food, or do you purchase your raw food packaged from a brand like Darwin’s Pets or something like that?




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I'm homesick no matter where I am. What can I do?

My fiancee and I both moved from the States to live and work in Japan. We have good jobs and really love everything about living here. We love the food and the culture and our jobs and apartment. However, it’s been about six months and I am very, very homesick. My fiancee is a little homesick too, but not as much as me. We’re going to plan a trip to visit home soon, but it’s expensive. (At least 2,500-3000 for the both of us.) Our contracts with our jobs last for about nine more months, but even though I’m homesick…we’ll probably renew. The fact is, we might not be able to get jobs this good in the States right now. And we wouldn’t have health insurance like we do here, either. And, even more importantly…we’d be homesick for Japan.

It’s like I’m split in two. A part of me wants to go home so badly. I miss my family and friends and pets and Taco Bell! I miss the smell of hot clothing from a dryer and Adult Swim on TV. I miss everything. But I know that after a week, or a month, or maybe a few months, I would start to miss Japan again. I would miss the 100 yen sushi bars and combinis on every corner. I would miss Tokyo lights and trains and heated toilet seats. I would miss my coworkers and our awesome little apartment with all the cool stuff we’ve filled it with. I would miss everything.

Like I said, we’re planning a trip home to visit soon. Maybe that will help. I hope it won’t just make me more sad. I’ve also thought about getting a kitten. Pets have always been a big part of my life and animals make me happy. (Don’t worry, I know all about shipping animals overseas if we ever move back home.) But do you have any other advice? What do people like me do? I know there must be many people out there who’ve felt like this. Like they have two homes and are always missing the one they aren’t at… What can I do to keep from just always being sad and homesick?




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Dog License tag in NYC?

I got the license tag in the mail today and it is almost as big as my dog.

I know pets are required to wear them, but do they check this often, or if I leave the tag at home it is okay?

Any experience with this would be helpful!




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Is it time for the SPCA to quit running advertisements about how we need to neuter and spay pets to save the planet?

Wouldn’t we be more likely to have a future if we were to neuter and spay our liberals?




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What to do for Diarrhea lasting over a week?

I am 22 years old and have never had any health issues. I am active, eat healthy, and workout. For the past week however I have had diarrhea, a lot of time it is after I eat and also in the morning. I have already sat on the toilet 4 times today. I don’t have any other symptoms other than slight stomach aches and I am a little more tired than usual. I have tried Imodium and Pepto Bismol and neither have worked. I have been drinking Gatorade and water to try to avoid dehydration. I am not vomiting either. This all started last week while my parents were out of the country and I was staying at the house alone watching my families pets. I do not enjoy being alone overnight so I am wondering if this was brought on by stress, but they have been back now for two days and I am not getting any better. I currently don’t have any health insurance since I just graduated college and I am trying to avoid going to the Dr. until I have my health insurance set up. Any suggestions as to what I can do in the mean time?




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Does anyone know what the best Dog Insurance is?

I want it to be able to cover everything, Dental Cleanings, Cancer, Emergency Room visits. I don’t want to have to pay a lot out of my pocket. Any recommendations??? Thanks!! I have a 15 month old chihuahua and have just taken to Petco for its annual shots last July and thats it. I want to be able to use the insurance for annual checkups etc… not just for emergencies. Any recomendations? I have heard horror stories on people who take their pets to the doctor and then have really bad insurance companies that either will not approve the claim or only give them back like 10% of what the huge vet bill was. Thanks in advance, desperately looking to start something this week. Also can I change insurance plans after, like go down from an expensive plan to a cheaper plan, probably yes, no?
I live in New York City, Thanks
I found a couple of insurance carriers that carry wellness, shots, annual vet exams and dental cleanings, all included! Thanks!




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Should I keep this cat? Read all details please?

Well all growing up I loved animals and I still do! I had a special bond with each of my pets. While a teenager I got a horse and took excellent care of it. I got quite into the equestrian thing. Horses were like therapy to me. But then my horse colliced. It broke my heart. I was devastated. I hardened my heart and never wanted to get that attached to an animal again.

I also have some mental issues. I have a history of destroying property and hurting my younger sister once (not severely) when I was around 12. But then I got on meds and it was like night and day! I did not have those physical aggression issues anymore. My dad and his family have a history of mental issues as well so I guess genetics played a factor.

So anyways 9 years later I decided I wanted to get off my meds. I was sick of being dependent on a medication. I slowly went down and then later completely went off of them. I did this on my own. I did not have health insurance so therefore no doctor or counselor.

While either not taking the correct dosage or not being on my medication I committed animal abuse. I flushed some unwanted live fish. I was irresponsible and would get pets only to rehome them and get new pets. I was being obsessive.

I had a couple cats but I had to move to a familys place. No cats were allowed due to allergies. I really wanted to keep the cats. I asked this family member but they said no. I could not keep them. I did not know anyone who wanted cats. I did not know craigslist existed at the time.

So not wanting the cats to be euthanized at the local pound, I let them go in a good neighborhood. There was a stream near by and outdoor cats around.

But afterwards I felt so bad! I was worried noone would find them or that they would starve or get run over. I went back to find the cats the next day. I did find the one and was so happy. I did the right thing and took him to the pound. The other one I never could find.

I do not know what I was thinking. I was not thinking straight! I did not realize how serious animal abaondonment is. I needed to grow up and start respecting life. I was a immature 21 year old and had mental issues but still. It was very wrong. I felt so guilty. I thought about suicide. I felt I was a horrible scum of a person.

I decided I needed to change big time. I got back on my meds and take them responsibily. Donated to the ASPCA. I started small as far as taking care of life goes. I got some new fish and took care of them successfully. I promised myself never to flush live fish or abandon again! I also promised myself to never get pets without committing to them for life!

I never could bring myself to get another pet other than fish. I thought I did not deserve them.

But one day this cat walked into my apartment while the door was open for a minute. She has a microchip but her owners have not contacted the microchip company. It has almost been two weeks and tomorrow they can transfer ownership to me. She was abandoned and needs a home. I am falling in love with her and think I am ready to be a good, responsible pet owner. I know I can do it and I have my husband to help me if needed. I am looking for opinions though. Though I do not know if I can part with her. I am opening my heart up again and learning alot. I hardened my heart after having to put my horse down. But I realize its okay to love an animal so much again.

This seems like a second chance to me. She literally came into my life and needs a home. All the no kill shelters in my city are full.

Please be respectful. Thanks!
Yes it is true! She has a home again microchip. They have tried calling the owners multiple times. One number was disconnected and the other number noone answered. I even took her to two different vet offices to douple check her microchip number!!




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