If you've been driving for some years now, you may have developed some bad habits along the way; bad habits that affect your car's gas mileage. The truth is, you can save money on gas by learning how NOT to drive your car. If you insist on air conditioning your car even though it's a cool day, you're wasting gas. If you let your car run when you are stopped for an extended period of time, you're wasting gas. There are countless little wasteful habits that we all have when it comes to driving. When we picture money burning up in our gas tank instead of gas, it makes it seem silly to sit idling, or revving the engine, going nowhere. You wouldn't want to buy a car that gets 0 mpg, would you?
Filed under Saving Money by
All my kids talk about getting every year for Christmas is video games if they don't go downstairs and find Gears of War 2 under our new pink flocked christmas tree I do not know how they will survive. It makes me a little nuts since I do all I can to get my kids outdoors. I would prefer to get them something like new football equipment or bikes, really anything they can do outside. Alas, I suppose boys will be boys. Arguing with the boys over "appropriate" lengths of time is just too much work.
That being said I've tried to find some tricks for my family and video games. I do a couple of things in an effort to force them outside. First off I limit their time every day to one hour (they can earn more). I have discovered that limiting the time is key to everything else because then they know time above and beyond that is to be earned. To be more fair I've allowed them some methods of earning more television time. That leads me to talk about trick number two. They can get more television time by either doing chores or spending time outside. I like the chores option because it is nice for me to have a few less things to do, and the reward for them isn't bad either. I set it up so it ends with one hour of chores earning one hour of television time.
The number two way they get more television time is by spending some of their time outside. For every hour they spend outside they get fifteen minutes of video games. Like I say this isn't a huge payoff, but I also don't really think asking them to be outside is a huge thing to ask. This mostly pays off for them on weekends. They can play outdoors for the day on Saturday and then spend the night playing video games. I do not even mind if they play a night of video games after a good day outside.
That being said I'm ok with one or two ending up under prelit flocked christmas tree this year if it has the effect of getting my brats outside and getting some stuff done around the house for me. They had better like the games they're getting, because I know I'll like my "gift" of one more thing to use "against" my boys.
Filed under Parenting by
I have a niece who is 15 years old. She’s a delightful young lady and we love her dearly, but when it comes to Christmas gift ideas, she not easy to shop for|becomes a bit of a challenge[/spin]. I also have a daughter who will soon be 14. As I start working on my Christmas list I like to add unique personalized gifts. I find that it is difficult to come up with ideas for a pre-teen. Yes, I was once a teenager, but it was so long ago. And yes, some of the styles that were popular when I was a teen are now coming back in vogue. But that’s not necessarily a good thing!
Teenage girls are no longer interested in dolls and toys (at least that's what they tell me). The toys they are now interested in are technology based gadgets such as MP3 Players and cell phones. Buying my niece a cell phone is out of the question, as my budget and her parents would not allow it. But teen girls love accessories, even for their gadgets. So cell phone holders or other small purses to carry them in are a great choice. Also I've found that personalized tote bags with their initials or monogram are also items they enjoy.
Of course, it’s all about high fashion for teens. For some teenage girls, high fashion is something akin to Miley Cyrus. But for others, they wouldn’t be caught dead in such gear. So, you have to be aware of her personal taste so you don’t offend. Jewelry is always welcome (remember, teen girls love accessories). There are so many choices. There’s casual jewelry for the girl who hates to dress up, there’s elegant silver jewelry for the more particular teen, and everything in between and much of the personalized or engraved jewelry is quite nice. A precious locket or even a friendship bracelet can become treasured keepsakes. If you’re not comfortable giving her jewelry, consider a jewelry box or a quilted jewelry roll up.
Make-up is a new and exciting venture for young teens. Many girls love to collect eye shadows and lipsticks in every color of the rainbow and spend hours applying it. While giving a gift of make-up is a bit personal, consider giving her a cute cosmetic bag or two to keep it all organized and tidy. Cosmetic cases come in everything from a purse size to the size of suitcases.
While at times it seems that pleasing a teen girl is an impossible task, finding her a meaningful gift doesn’t have to be difficult. Taking a moment to consider her new lifestyle and interests will lead you in the right direction.
Filed under Kids & Teens by
FREE! It is a word we all love. We rush over to look at free puppies and kittens. We stand in line for a free sandwich at fund raiser or grand opening ceremony. We hope to get free money by winning the lottery. Every where you look, there are opportunities to get free stuff. Below you will find some ways to get free stuff ranging from money to exotic vacations. I know it goes against the concept of “free”, but if you do a little work, you can get a lot of good free stuff.
There is one really easy way to get free stuff that I recommend to everybody I know. Taking online surveys. You sign up for free with a survey company and you get product review or informational surveys to complete. Different programs reward you different ways, but the end result is the same. You get free stuff. You can find a list of some of my favorites at http://hubpages.com/hub/Get-Paid-for-Online-Market-Research-Surveys
You may be able to get free rewards for buying products you already buy or intend to buy in the near future. For example, lets say you are looking to buy a new or used car. Some times, car dealerships have promotions where they give things away to new customers. Now, you probably don’t want to wait around until the car you want has a free trip with it, but if you know you want to buy a car some time soon and the local dealership happens to run a promotion where you can get a free trip for buying car, why not do it sooner rather than later. Another promotion I have seen is businesses giving a free vacation away for listening to a sales presentation. This is similar to the time share example I mentioned above and I personally use it to encourage people to listen to a presentation I make about Ambit Energy by giving them a voucher for a free 2 night hotel stay at their choice of vacation destinations. Ambit Energy also rewards customers with the same 2 night hotel stay so people who listen to my presentation then sign up to save money on their electricity or natural gas bill, get 2 vacations. When companies give customers great prices and free vacations, customers get a double bonus! Look around and pay attention to special offers and you can get a lot of stuff for free, not just travel.
Many credit cards are available today that give rewards points for making purchases. If you were to pay all your bills with credit card then pay the credit card every month instead of paying the bills directly, you can earn vacations or other great stuff very quickly. If you travel frequently, you can sign up for frequent flyer miles and get more free travel. Virtually every airline has this program. Many hotel chains also have this rewards point program as well. There are even energy companies like Ambit Energy that give customers rewards points for paying their electricity or natural gas bill. Sometimes you can even combine rewards programs so your hotel stay and your airfare give rewards points to one common account.
Credit card companies as a whole give a whole lot of things away for free so I would recommend you start with credit card rewards programs if you use a credit card. You will be getting free stuff before you know it. Sometimes you get free stuff as soon as you sign up. Make sure you take into account interest and fees though. If you keep paying finance charges on your card to get free stuff, it isn’t really free any more.
I know there are tons of other ways to get free stuff, but these are all things that I do on a regular basis to get free stuff. I hope this helps you too!
Filed under Shopping by
Relationships can be tough – and finding good relationship advice can be even harder. Are you looking to find some healing within your relationship? Do you feel like there is a chasm opening up between you and your boyfriend or husband? Well, keep reading, because I can show you what to do.
I can testify to this, because this has worked wonders in my own marriage, and it is advice I got straight from Christian Carter. This is all about breaking down the barriers of ignorance in a relationship – in YOUR relationship – and learning to TRULY connect with your man.
It is very simple – seek to understand and YOU will be understood. I know – it sounds pretty Zen-like, but trust me, it works. This is why…
When you are experiencing problems in your relationship, it is more than likely because you do not understand something he has done, or he does not understand something you have done. The worst part is – half the time, you don’t even know you are misinterpreting something!
This method has been more valuable to me in my relationship with my husband than any other single piece of relationship advice. When you are seeking to understand what your partner is really doing, thinking or feeling, you are opening yourself up to a much broader perspective – which leaves you with many more options and solutions.
When you are putting your perspective onto an action he is doing – what you are doing is judging him and basing all your reactions on your own personal view or bias. But do you really know what happened? Let me tell you distinctly – no, you do not.
I have been married for years, and after hearing Christian Carter’s advice in his Catch Him and Keep Him eBook, I discovered a HUGE misunderstanding in our relationship. We have 3 children, two of them are very young. Whenever one of the children would get hurt – my husband would get IRATE. He would get SO mad, I hated it. I felt like he was mad at me for letting it happen.
The truth was though is that once I talked to him, I learned the real reason. He got mad because he got SCARED. Anger at fear is a typical male reaction, and he never even realized how his anger was hurting me – because he assumed I knew why he was mad. I thought I did, but I was wrong.
So – how do you DO this? I will show you. Here are three simple steps you can take today to begin to understand your man and strengthen your relationship.
First – you need to be in the PRESENT only. You must let go of all the previous hurts and grudges you harbor. Release your expectations of your man and your relationship. You must begin this with a clean slate.
Second, seek to understand the person your man is. You can do this by asking yourself a series of questions. What’s important to him? (i.e., for the man, it may be friends, work, adventure, freedom) What does he like and not like? What does he want from me?
Strive for some insight into what he really IS, and then move onto the feeling stage. This is where you walk a mile or two in his moccasins. Pretend you are him and try to take on his feelings, his opinions and his experiences. You then ask yourself (him) in his shoes when you come to him with a problem.
1- How does this make me feel and react? (If you are asking him for a deeper commitment, does it make him scared, anxious, unsure, happy? Does it make him ask how he will provide for you?)
2- What do I care about most? (Does he wonder about your sex life, babies, problems that are already occurring in your relationship?)
3- What are the pros and cons? (What does he see as the solution, or the advantages and disadvantages to the solution or opportunity?)
What this will do is bring you into the heart of your man and give you a MUCH better viewpoint – you can see HIM and you can see YOU. It will help you maintain objectivity and help you to ask the right questions when he seems to be clamming up.
I got all this from Christian Carter, reading his Catch Him and Keep Him eBook and listening to his programs for relationship advice. If you want more relationship advice, CLICK HERE now!
Filed under Relationship and Marriage by
Dog crates used to be available in only two styles: wired or plastic. Nowadays there are numerous designs, colors, and different material that make up a wide range of dog crates to choose from. Each dog carrier model has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending upon your needs.
Soft Sided Dog Carriers
The soft-sided dog crate is very popular and are praised for their convenience and ease of use and portability. They are very lightweight and some even fold down for extra storage when not in use. Your dog has plenty of ventilation with the mesh window compartments and the base of the crate or floor is padded and most come with zippers to close the door.
Pick out your favorite soft side dog crates
Soft sided dog carriers are great so long as your dog is inside while you are around. Otherwise, because of the material used, many dogs have been known to completely chew or claw their way out of the plastic mesh sides. If your dog gets a little rowdy with the tendency to chew and claw when left alone, then you may want to consider a different type of crate.
What Size Should You Get?
Soft sided crates are no different than any other type of dog crate when it comes to choosing the correct size. Just make sure that it is large enough so your dog can stand up on all fours without hitting its head. He must be able to turn around, stretch, and lie down.
These soft-sided crates have the same sizing guidelines as other crates. You want to make sure that it is large enough that when your dog stands up they can do so on all four paws without bumping it's head, it should be able to turn around completely, stretch, and lie down completely. The carrier shouldn't be any larger than that especially if you are house training your puppy, if they have alot of room they will get the urge to use the bathroom in the backside of the crate and they won't even mind the mess!
These soft-sided crates have the same sizing guidelines as other crates. You want to make sure that it is large enough that when your dog stands up they can do so on all four paws without bumping it's head, it should be able to turn around completely, stretch, and lie down completely. The carrier shouldn't be any larger than that especially if you are house training your puppy, if they have alot of room they will get the urge to use the bathroom in the backside of the crate and they won't even mind the mess!Remember that the point of crate training as used to housebreak a puppy is to give him no choice but to wait to be released from the crate in order to use the bathroom in the proper location.
If your dog does claw or chew at the crate, you may want to consider getting another type of crate such as a plastic one. Should you desire a larger crate than what you normally would need, keep in mind that you will have to adjust the space inside for maximum effectiveness and to keep your dog safe. Some crates come with divider panels to accomidate different sizes of dogs.
You will probably want to take a look at dog dresses and dog shampoo.
Filed under Shopping by
Plastic surgery has always been a highly debated topic because it provides patients with treatment for both cosmetic problems as well as for physical abnormalities and traumas. Procedures range from the more typical nose job or face lift, to more intensive procedures like facial restructuring after an accident.
Eventhough these procedures are often routine, The Emory Reconstructive Center offers patients the latest techniques and advancements based on knowledge gained from Emory surgeons' active participation in the global medical community. Emory understands that Eventhough beauty comes from within, feeling better on out the outside inevitably makes patients feel better on the inside as well.
The Emory Aesthetic Surgery Center understands that when you look good, you feel confident, vibrant, and ready to take on the world. The center’s goal is to help patients achieve their ideal look through surgical and non- surgical procedures. The Emory Aesthetic Surgery Center understands how difficult opting for surgery can be, and the apprehension that accompanies any medical procedure.
Patients should be assured that the Aesthetic center is dedicated to this field and has a lifelong, focused dedication to excellence. The practice of plastic surgery is a delicate and precise science. The skills and techniques that are used at the center are therefore conducted under the highest quality controls, and the team is composed of seasoned plastic surgeons. The center combines highly skilled doctors with a deep understanding of patients and their needs to provide the best quality experience possible.
Plastic Surgeons Emory
Cosmetic Facial Procedures at the Emory Aesthetic Center include but are not limited to: facelifts, brow lifts, cheek lifts, and rhinoplasty. Facelifts are one of the more typical procedures and Emory physicians have developed a highly successful and unique approach to this procedure. Rather than the traditional nip and tuck, Emory plastic surgeons use a special technique to reposition the underlying tissues of the face and redrape the skin to provide a more natural look. Because incisions are made behind the patient’s hairline or the ears, evidence of the surgery and scarring is minimized. This attention to detail is simply one way in which Emory Surgeons are dedicating to excellence, and to providing patients with the best results possible.
Cosmetic Surgery Emory
In addition to Cosmetic Surgery, there are many non- surgical face procedures that the Emory Aesthetic Facial Surgery Center Provides. If you are not ready for surgery, many options are still available. Given the variety of available options, The Emory Aesthetic Surgery Center has a complete skin care consulting program designed to improve the appearance and complexion of skin for patients who are not ready for surgery. Microdermabrasion, Chemical Peels, and BOTOX are just some of the few procedures a patient is able to receive.
Plastic Surgery Emory
The most highly debated of these procedures is most likely to be BOTOX which is a safe and effective alternative to traditional plastic surgery. However, one must keep in mind that the results are short-lived and less dramatic. Usually patients seek this procedure for reducing the visibility of frown lines between the eyebrows as well as crow’s feet around the eyes.
Filed under Family Health by
Nowadays kids are really smart. They start playing with computer at the age you were not capable of reading yet. However, you could teach your children to develop even faster. No, we are not suggesting buying a computer as a birthday present for your two year old son. We are merely suggesting teaching your kids to use the power of imagination. Children can see so many places, visit so many worlds, fight and win a lot of wars, heal and treat great numbers of injured soldiers.. And yes, kids can easilly accomplish impossible and unexplainable things because parents can teach them to use powerful imagination.
Would you want to see your kids to become a doctor or a nurse? With pretend play toys it is easy to do - your son could pretend to be a doctor and your daughter could pretend play a nurse, your home could become a hospital and all your friend instantly would become your children’s patients. With the professional doctor equipment (pretend toys) they would be able to go to war hospitals and to heal a lot of injured soldiers. You could even take a part in their game: a story narrator explaining how things work. How can you check a pulse, how can you inhale deeply - there are a lot of things that your kids can learn just by playing with pretend play toys.
Or instead of taking part in historical war, your kids could become a family doctor. Think for a minute, you are lying in your bed and reading your favorite book, while your little kids are preparing medicine and trying to do a massage for you. You can easily guide your children to the right direction when they are playing with pretend toys. If you would like your kids would do something differently, just say "real doctors would let patient rest for a while (while you finish reading that paper) after he is treated".
With appropriate doctor costume and doctor handbag you kid will not only pretend to be a doctor. Remember, pretend toys allow you actually to become one. You can easily engage a group of children in the game (hospital can hire five different doctors). Children will not only enjoy the game, but they will experience what does it mean to work as a team, or even how to become a leader. Pretend toys (and specific pretend games as pretending to be a doctor) allow kids to develop their imagination and to learn things faster.
Filed under Kids & Teens by
You have no doubt spend hours during the course of your life looking over footwear both in physical stores and on the Internet. The selection of shoe styles available will make the most picky among us smile. However, when making that final decision on a brand of shoes, you need to take into account price, style, durability, comfort, and the overall appearance. This is no less true with men's boots.
When it comes to side zip boots, men might shy away from their sleek and smooth style. However, anyone with their finger on the pulse of the runways knows that city boots are a major fashion staple for men this season. Knock offs are everywhere and the styles are both comfortable and chill.
For a rundown of some of the hottest zippered city boots available this season, keep reading.
Kenneth Cole New York City Boot ($200+)
Designed by Kenneth Cole, this sleek city boot is all about its cool, grey leather. Break away from boring black with this unique boot that's both smooth and sophisticated.
There are few details, no embellishments and a general style that's cool, calm and collected. The best part about these well made city boots? The non-slip heel means they're great for banging around town on a wet or snowy day.
Hugo Boss Ankle Boots ($175+)
Both fashionable and functional, these are a great pair of side zip boots. Men will love the rustic look of the dark and battered brown leather while women will flock to your understated style. The leather is handcrafted and the zipper made from aged brass, giving these boots a rugged and manly look.
These city boots are really made for the urban warrior - they can handle a beating during any winter storm, making them a pretty ideal choice for cold and snowy winters or stormy and wet springs.
Timberland Zippered Walking Boots ($125+)
Though stylish, Timberland boots are actually more about comfort than fashion. Designed with the Timberland Smart Comfort System, these boots are made for long hikes and afternoon treks, but are still stylish enough to wear out on the town. They even come with a waterproof guarantee for life to boot. The look is rugged and rustic, but still modern - making them a nice choice for winters in the city.
City Boots by Gucci ($560)
These boots are the one of the best for urban indulgence. The ankle boot style and soft, butter-colored leather blend very well together for an overall luxurious shoe. The one drawback? At almost $600 a pair, you may to be too scared to wear these beauties outside the house. If so, invest in a pair of galoshes.
When it comes to side zip boots, men should look for a boot that fits well across the ankle and over the bridge of the foot. Because zippered boots are less flexible than their stretch or slip-on counterparts, you want to make sure the fit is right.
Filed under Shopping by
If you haven't noticed this yet, look closely at an acorn the next time you walk by one. You'll find it resembles someone wearing a "hat" and the little "hat" can be removed once the acorn is ripe enough to fall on the ground. Our family has made a silly craft out of these little "acorn people". We gather enough acorns that have good looking hats on them, and paint faces, glasses, and hair on them to resemble each family member or guest at our Harvest dinner. We use paint or markers and even a little yarn under the hat for the hair. We'll also paint the hat, sometimes with a favorite team's logo. Whatever it takes to make each acorn look like a member of our family or dinner guest. It's great fun to watch each person figure out which acorn person is supposed to be them!
Filed under Family Fun by
