With all of the economic chaos and so many struggling, how are you, as small business owners, making changes to your businesses to ride the tide?

Ride a motorcycle?

Previous years have included all-expense-paid helicopter rides, wine tasting, horseback riding in Puerto Rico and a private Jimmy Buffett concert in the Bahamas for more than 1,000 employees and guests.

Anything you can truly own is a very strong position to be in.As to one thing to do with precious metals - an idea that came to my mind that I can't condone was get as many credit cards as you can, use them to buy precious metals, convert the precious metals back to currency, use the currency to purchase income producing assets free and clear and if Armageddon hits - default on your non recourse credit card loans and ride out the 7 years of "recovery" when there's going to be little to no credit available anyway and start anew 7 years down the road when you're credit record is cleared out and you have appreciating, free and clear, income producing assets....with a clear credit record.

Another downside of that housing bubble that so many hailed to be good for this country, while some of us waited for the other shoe to drop!

Seems like you could ride out DMM for another 12-18 months and then reevaluate and hop into UMM for a long term investment.

My main concern is converge for wind / hail / storm damage.I think a basic umbrella for personal / extending it to the property's would be adequate.Anyone else consolidated under one main policy and then actually had to DEAL with a claim?

Make it an OFFICE EXPENSE:  Equipment: Lawnmower (if it is a cheap lawnmower)   Or, make it a Fix Asset Account which you can depreciate each year if it's a riding lawnmower.  

Cash for keys should be a Hail Mary last ditch effort to get somebody out .

Even if there were he would expend all his cash reserves which is the end of the ride.