I know this isn't what you asked for, but when I went to the dermatologist recently she gave me something called "Replenix" to try. I have tried retin-a products in the past but they were always too harsh for my skin so she recommended this. It is a retinol product which is milder than retin-a products but works like retin-a to make pores smaller and reduce sun damage and I believe it would probably eventually remove the spots you are talking about. It is not a prescription item - you can buy it on amazon and other places. There are various strengths - I started with 3x and have just ordered 6x and I think it goes up to 10x. I use a tinted moisturizer from Smashbox which I like and it has sun protection in it too I think, but it is lighter than a concealer. Good luck - I too am fair-skinned and beginning to pay for all the years when I was younger and lived in the sun, using baby oil mixed with iodine for a tan.

Also, a lot of people who anticipate only being between jobs for a short time will play the COBRA waiting game and use it as a temporary insurance. They give you 60 days to decide so if you don't decline it, you can be covered in the case of emergency for those two months. If you don't end up needing insurance, then you don't pay anything but if you do need it within those 60 days, you can elect COBRA and it covers you retroactively from the day it was offered. Also, once you elect it, you have 45 days to send in payment, so you could elect it and then just not pay if you don't need it, So in theory you could have over 100 days of emergency insurance for free if you don't end up needing it, and you would only have to pay the premium if you do need it, which is far less than a hospital bill . I don't know how strictly ethical it is to do that but it's how their rules are set up and it is often a lifesaver for people in difficult situations.

I'm no expert but I've refinanced a few times and never for a higher rate or longer term. One of the prinicples that guides my financial decisions is whether or not what I'm doing increases my net worth. Paying more interest and less principle on a mortgage doesn't. We have had a couple situations where DH has not been working and the first thing we have done is cut all non-essential spending. Fortunately we've never had to refinance a mortgage to cut our expenses. Is it not possible for your wife to find a new job in the next year and not cut her income?

Hi Farminmom, There are USDA and Farm/Rural loan programs designed specifically for you. You need to find and work with a broker (who has many resources, not just a single banker with only their inhouse programs) who understands and is aware of these niche programs. Rates just "dropped off the edge of the table" yesterday with the Fed's announcement that they are going to directly buy (and thus guarantee the strength) of mortgage-backed bonds... which, in plain English, means that the financial markets are currently feeling much better about dropping interest rates. It looks like plain vanilla 30 FRMs are dropping into the 4%'s today. (NOT guaranteeing that is what YOU would qualify for... but it DOES mean the environmnet is in your favor.) If there's more I can tell you, just ask. Dave Donhoff Leverage Planner