Home and Family Ezine

Valentines Day Wedding Ideas and Plans

Valentine’s Day Wedding Ideas

By Joanna Cali, Westchester Wedding Guide http://www.westchester-weddings.com

Valentine’s Day is synonymous with romance and if you’ve chosen this
day to marry, you must be a truly romantic soul. Let your love of
romance set the stage for your Valentine’s wedding and inject the
theme of romantic love into every aspect of your planning.

Reception Locations:
For a Valentine’s theme wedding, think of a location that provides a
feeling of intimacy. It need not be small, but will ideally provide
nooks, alcoves and romantic “hideaways” for guests to rekindle their
own romantic flames. A fireplace with real logs burning, candlelight
and comfy sofas for guests to relax in will all set the stage. A
romantic country inn, bed & breakfast or winery are all great
choices.

On the other hand, dramatic settings can work too, suggesting great
historical romances – castles and historical manors would make
excellent backdrops to this effect. Continue reading →

Guide to Thrifty Living

* Thrifty Food Tips
* Grocery Shopping Tips
* Meal Ideas
* All About Coupons
* Thrifty Household Tips
* Things to Buy
* Cleaning Solutions
* Managing Utility Bills
* Recycling Items
* Budgeting Suggestions
* Basic Tools
* Cutting Expenses
* Get the Family Involved

What is frugal living? We all have our ideas of what it means. You might envision a picture of someone living in a home that has newspaper placemats and leafy toilet paper. That is not exactly how it works.

Frugal living is not about living without money. It is also not about buying cheap products to save a few bucks. Rather frugal living is a state of mind. It is getting the best out of your life and the most out of your money.

Frugal living involves smart thinking. Someone who lives frugally takes the time to think about purchases before they make them. They avoid impulse buying because they know that it will affect some other area of their lives.

Frugal people set a series of priorities in their life. Saving money now means fulfilling their dreams of a better life in the long run. To do this, they don’t have to eat beans every night or wear the same clothes all week. Using a budget and some well thought out tips they are able to live on less and save the rest.

Frugal living is smart living. Few people ever consider the alternatives to the way things are always done. I can go to the store and buy a bag of rice for less than two dollars. But, if I had a coupon, I could get it for less than that. And, if I shop at a store that has a discount card, I could get the same bag of rice with a coupon for less than a dollar. I’ve lost nothing and gained an extra dollar in my pocket.

As a consequence of frugal living, we learn to live a more eco-friendly life. Utilizing the items that we would normally throw away, means less garbage dumped in the landfill. Less garbage in the landfill means less non-biodegradable waste in our midst for the next hundred years. Everyone wins.

The best thing is that everyone can live frugally. It doesn’t matter if you have a little money or if you have a lot of money. Frugal living produces favorable results for everyone who tries it if they are serious about making a difference in their lives.

Resist the urge to be a society of wasters and change your ways. You probably didn’t know you could be that creative. Discovering the frugalness within you is fun and a project that the entire family can get involved in. You’d be surprised by what you are able to do if you embrace a frugal lifestyle. That family vacation that you’ve wanted to take for the last five years will now be an activity you can afford.

Are you interested yet? Good, then let’s get started. In this special report we will discuss frugal living and its benefits to all people. The tips and suggestions here can be used on a small or large scale depending on your resources and needs.

Grocery Shopping Tips

This is the one area that many people have trouble with. One of the many pleasures in life includes the good taste of food. We want to enjoy every meal and not have to suffer through tasteless fare. Some think that means that to be good, food has to be expensive. That is a myth. You can save money on your grocery bill and still have it taste phenomenal.

1. Don’t shop when you are hungry. How many times have we heard that one? It’s true. If you grocery shop when you are hungry, you are more likely to pick up items that you want but don’t need. The family needs a pack of pork chops but you want ice cream because your belly is empty. The price of your food bill will double due to hunger. If you must grocery shop and you have no time to eat a meal, grab a snack like a few crackers or a piece of fruit. All you need is just enough to keep the hunger at bay while you shop.

2. Use a shopping list. Lists are helpful tools. They ensure that we won’t forget anything when we go to the store. I have tried to shop without a list and undoubtedly forget at least two things I really needed and buy things I didn‘t need. No one wants to make more than one trip to the grocery store in the same day especially when you have to contend with long lines. To get the most out of a grocery list, begin by grabbing your notepad and walking throughout the house jotting down everything you need. You can organize the list later if you want, but the important thing is to get all of the necessary items on the list in the first place. Don’t forget items that aren’t purchased regularly like toothbrushes and shampoo.

3. Read sale papers. Most grocery stores publish a circular each week. Compare these papers to see where you can find the lowest prices on the items that you need. It’s okay to shop at more than one store if the savings are significant. I shop in 3 different grocery stores every Monday morning. I go to them all in the same trip to save gas and time. Circle the items you need to buy in the store circular and carry it into the store in addition to the grocery list.

4. Go by yourself to the grocery store. My children always go with me shopping but I do find that I add lots of things we don’t really need. I do try to teach them about making choices during this time and saving money.

5. Buy staples instead of prepared foods. Because of the time constraints that most families experience, preparing meals from scratch isn’t an option. Manufacturers know this and offer more time-friendly foods that are also more expensive than buying each ingredient separately and making the dish yourself at home. Consider this the next time you are in the grocery store. It can save you plenty of money in a year’s time.

6. Bring your calculator. Dollar stores have little pocket calculators that you can carry in your purse to tabulate the total food bill as you shop. This is another way to remember prices and which store has the lowest. It is less likely that you will go over your budgeted grocery amount if you keep track as you add items to the shopping cart.

7. I shop early in the morning on Monday. You need to find the best time for you to do your shopping. I like early mornings because it is not so crowded. Take all the time you need to complete the task.

Meal Ideas

What are we having for dinner? I hear that question often. Planning ahead for meals means less time in the kitchen and it can even save money on weekly food bills. The latest trends move towards fixing a complete meal with as few ingredients as possible.

1. Cook from scratch. It sounds like something our grandmothers did, but it can save money and is actually a time saver as well. A pound of hamburger can be turned into four or five hamburgers, a moist meatloaf, or meatballs for spaghetti. Buy a value pack of hamburger at the store and you have three meal ideas in one package. Each one is different enough that your family won’t mind having hamburger in some form three times in that one week.

2. Plan a menu. This will stop the family from asking what you are cooking each evening and it takes the guesswork out of dinner. Ask the family for their input into the menu ideas. A menu list can form the basis of your grocery list. The menu should include not only the main dish but also the side dishes as well.

3. Keep it simple. Elaborate meals are for dinner parties and special occasions. If you want a change from the ordinary, use add-ins. These are spices and foods that can complement your meal in such a way that they provide a new taste sensation. For example, let’s look at lasagna. Lasagna is most commonly made with hamburger and cheeses and sauce. For a different taste, add chicken or sausage instead of beef. As added filler, dice some veggies: onions, carrots, and zucchini. The added crunch gives a different taste. These add-ins can be used for almost any type of meal to give it a new twist.

4. Keep your pantry stocked with the basics. What are the items that are used for more than one meal? Stocking up on these items when they are on sale is a good idea. I make sure I always have barbeque sauce, ketchup, cream soups, chicken broth, rice, pasta of all kinds, and crackers. This doesn’t include the most common spices that you use. I love garlic and don’t miss an opportunity to use it to spice up a meal.

All About Coupons

Let’s get serious about coupons. They are there to help make our trips to the grocery store less painful and it doesn’t hurt that the manufacturer gets a plug. Coupons are big business. Stores have times during the month when they double and even triple coupons to save you more. Best of all, coupons can be combined with others for extra savings.

1. Shop with your coupons. I clip them but forget to take them with me. Solve that problem by keeping them in a pouch or small plastic bag in your purse. As soon as you finish snipping them out of the paper, put them in your purse right away. You can even search for an appropriate coupon as you write up your shopping list. Staple or paperclip them to the list so you won’t forget to use them.

2. Develop a coupon strategy. If the store brand is cheaper than the name brand item even with a coupon, save your coupon for another time and purchase the cheaper priced store brand. Most cereal coupons offer savings when you buy more than one box. The savings don’t seem as great with multiple boxes, so wait until the cereal has a “Buy One, Get One Free” offer attached to it. You can save an extra dollar or more on both boxes of cereal. Higher priced items that you always wanted to try can add extra dollars to your grocery bill. Buy them when you find a coupon in the newspaper.

3. Use coupons on trial size items. Some coupons may say that they exclude trial size but most do not. If trial size is an option, use your coupon to save more money. Trial size items are good for your purse, backpack, or suitcase when traveling. You won’t waste your money by purchasing those.

4. Find more coupons online. You can find and print many money-saving coupons online these days. Coupons.com is a good place to start. Many frugal living and work at home mom forums offer places to trade coupons.

5. Pick up a Sunday paper when you travel. You can find unusual coupons in other locations. Use them to get savings on items you don’t usually see coupons for in your area.

6. Only clip coupons for products you already use. Just because you find a coupon for something doesn’t mean you need to buy it. If you don’t use the product that is wasting money not saving it.

Thrifty Household Tips

Things to Buy

There are tons of ways to save money around the house. We don’t usually think about it especially if we are always on the go. Our house is our biggest asset and our biggest draw on our income. We can save hundreds of dollars with only a few of the tips and suggestions in this report. It is amazing what we can do once we get started. And, finding new ways to save is contagious.

One way to save money is not to skimp on the important things. After all, you get what you pay for. There is a difference between cheap and low price. Many times the two terms are used interchangeably but they actually are not when you talk about frugal living.

Cheap refers to something that is of lower quality. Buying inferior products only means that you will have to replace it sooner and spend more money. Lower price refers to an item of similar quality that costs less. This is seen with name brand and generic items. The store brand items probably came from the same manufacturer as the name brand and are of comparable quality for most items. There are some where the name brand is better, but you can compare that when you are shopping.

Here are some items that will save you money in the long run if you shoulder the expense today.

1. Items you use frequently. When toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, and the like go on sale, stock up on them. You will always need these items so it’s okay to buy as many as you can afford. Store them in a cool dry place until you need them. It’s nice not to have to make a trip to the store each week for toilet paper or worse, to find out you need more when you are down to your last roll in the middle of the night. Yikes!

2. Water filters are a frugal buy. We spend so much money buying bottled water that we don’t consider the alternative which is to get a water filter. They may cost you thirty or forty dollars in the beginning but you will save by not buying bottled water. Brita and other water purifying companies offer filtered pitchers and water bottles so you can have filtered water anytime and anywhere.

3. Rechargeable batteries save money. If you have a lot of electronic devices, you also have remote controls. Each remote needs at least two batteries. Kid’s toys also need batteries. You could spend a small fortune buying batteries that have long life to get the most from your devices. Rechargeable batteries and chargers for all the battery types that you need could cost close to $100 in the beginning but you’ll save in the long run. Rechargeable batteries can even be used in digital cameras.

4. Compact fluorescent lights are all the rage. You’ve seen those coil-like light bulbs haven’t you? They seem to be all over the place. According to the manufacturers, they use less energy and last far longer than a regular tungsten filament light bulb. I really do not like them because the ones I have purchased do not last long at all. But they do say they save money so the choice is yours on this tip.

Cleaning Solutions

Cleaning is a chore that no one wants to undertake. Worst of all, there are so many cleaners to choose from, how do you know if you are getting the best one for your needs? There is one for kitchen, one for bathroom, and one for outdoor patio furniture. Some claim to be able to clean anything.

But besides the cleaning aspect, we are also looking for disinfectants. When something is clean we want to know that it is germ-killing clean as well. This is important all over the house. Germs spread and make us sick so if there are as few as possible around, we all feel better.

The following cleaning ideas involve suggestions for cleaning that involve using items we have around the house. Sometimes you may need to buy an all-purpose cleaner, but see what you have around the house first that will do the trick.

1. Baking soda. Baking soda freshens your refrigerator by absorbing the odors. But, did you know that baking soda can remove carpet stains? Use it on fresh stains overnight and then vacuum it up. Use an unscented laundry detergent and baking soda to give clothes a fresh scent. It is also great for removing crayon and other markings from wooden walls. Cleaning the tub ring and kitchen grease.

2. Dryer sheets. They freshen clothes and also repel ants. Place a piece of one in a corner of a room, window sill, or on the counter to keep ants away. They also can be used to clean soap scum out of sinks and tubs.

3. Vinegar. It’s good for lots of things. Vinegar and water can remove the smell from stains on your carpet and furniture and deposits from showerheads. Combine it with an Alka-Seltzer tablet to unclog a drain. If you don’t have one of those effervescent tablets available, use baking soda and white vinegar. After fifteen minutes, flush with hot water. Great to let sit in the toilet bowl and then scrub with a brush and it makes it sparkle and shine. Put a bowl in an area to remove smells the vinegar scent evaporates into the air while absorbing other scents. Great for smokers scent. Use in the final rinse water of your laundry for a fabric softener the smell does not stay on the clothes.

Managing Utility Bills

We all want to save money on these types of bills. They are different each month depending on what time of year it is. In the summer, electricity bills rise and in the winter, natural gas bills rise. There is something that you can do.

1. Talk to your utility company about a bill payment plan. Many utility companies have an equal payment plan available. This plan averages your payments for twelve months of service to come up with a monthly payment. At the end of the year, your account is credited if you used less energy or you will have an extra payment if you used more than the monthly payment.

2. Lower your bills by using some energy-saving tips. It goes without saying that you should turn off lights, televisions, and other items when you leave a room. When you finish on the computer, shut it down instead of letting it run in hibernation mode all night. Changing air filters on time can heat and cool your home more efficiently. When you go too long, the filters get clogged up and the unit has to work harder to push the air through. Keep your hot water heater at a lower temperature and your thermostat set at a constant temperature. More energy is used when you shift it up and down or off and on constantly.

3. Buy an air purifier. The job of an air purifier is to pull particles and allergens out of the air. The more that are pulled out of the air by this machine, the fewer will be trapped in your air vent filter, lowering your utility bills.

4. Bundle services when you can. Telephone companies offer Internet access, telephone, and cellular phone for one low price. Cable companies do the same. Find out which one works best for you and save money by receiving one lower priced bill instead of three separate bills.

Recycling Items

This is the fun part. Now we get to see how we can use things around the house to save money. Be as creative as you like. There are hundreds of ways to get a second use out of things we would normally throw away. This also keeps us from spending extra money on something that we could make at home.

1. Use grocery bags as trash bags. These plastic bags are perfect for wastebaskets and for use in the car when traveling. Fold up a few and put them in the glove box or the trunk.

2. Got a chipped mug? Instead of throwing it away, use it as a holder for pencils, pens, and paintbrushes. No one cares about a chip here.

3. Use empty jars as drinking glasses. It creates an eclectic feel. Wash out that pickle or mayonnaise jar and use it for your favorite lemonade or iced tea. Also, you can use it to store nails and other small things in your workshop or on your sewing table.

4. Cut the tops off of empty milk jugs and use them as planters. Paper cartons can be used to grow fresh herbs for cooking. Let kids paint the milk jugs to make them more decorative.

5. Use old towels to make paper bag holders. Stitch a piece of elastic in each end and hang to hold all those plastic grocery bags. You can also make decorative door runners to keep the air out in the winter and cool in during the summer. Just stuff them with newspaper and seal the ends.

Budget Suggestions – Basic Tools

A budget is a necessary tool for any family that wants to trim the fat from their spending. And, we all can use a little less fat. To begin we need a few basic items.

1. Pay stubs. Each person that contributes to the monthly income of the household needs to figure out how much they bring in on average each month. This is easier for salaried employees. This is the money that you have to spend on expenses and savings each month.

2. All bills. Anything that you receive a bill for each month needs to be accounted for. Forgetting something can put a chink in the armor of your budget. Include furniture payments, credit card bills, utility bills, school lunches, club memberships of all types, car payments, mortgage, and insurance payments. You’d be surprised how much you pay out.

3. Extra income. This can come from a hobby or an occasional service you offer that pays you. This income is a supplement that can help you save money. Resist the urge to spend more.

Cutting Expenses

Take out the scissors and go to work. Cutting expenses doesn’t mean that you have to cut out everything. Even cutting back on how much you spend on one thing is a help. Some things will need to be done away with especially if you have a goal in mind that you want to achieve such as a vacation or college fund savings.

1. Watch Movies at Home – If you want to watch movies, invest in an online membership like Netflix.com or Blockbuster.com. Online, you save gas by not having to travel back and forth to the store. These programs offer the option of renting one or more movies at a time. One movie at a time can cost as little as $5.99 a month. Better yet go to the public library and check them out free. At my library they have a very good selection and you can keep them for a week.

2. Eat at home more often. This is difficult if your family is on the run all the time. Create low cost, easy to fix meals that can be ready in thirty minutes or less.

3. Learn to do things around the house yourself. Instead of hiring a lawn service, cut your own grass. A lawnmower will pay for itself in no time especially in the summer months. Use a truck and a friend to carry items home from the store and avoid delivery charges. You can hire out for major things like electrical or plumbing problems but shop around to get the best deal.

4. Shop at other stores besides large chains. Consider a thrift store or goodwill when shopping for clothes. Many people think that these stores are full of junk, but in fact, you can find many clothes with price tags still on them. The Habitat for Humanity store sells good quality furniture and many other items at greatly reduced prices. Yard sales are also a great place to shop. Just make a list of things you need such as seasonal clothing, books you are looking for, glasses, cups, etc.

Get the Family Involved

For frugal living plans to work it takes the participation of everyone in the house. Working together to create a budget encourages kids to adopt the same financial values in their lives.

1. Have a yard sale. It is time to clean out the clutter. Go through your closets and the garage and find items that you don’t need any more. On a clear sunny Saturday, hold a yard sale. Families can make extra money towards trips or other activities. Anything that is in good condition but doesn’t sell can be given away to charity.

2. Sell on eBay. Everyone is doing it and some are making a whole lot of money. If you have a hobby like crafting, try your hand at selling your products online on eBay. Membership is free but you do need to pay a listing fee and a small percentage of the price when the item sells.

3. Get everyone outside on a Saturday to do yard work. With everyone helping, it will take less time to get it done. Using your own labor force means you won’t have to outsource.

Sticking to It

It is hard to change. In fact, for a habit to become a part of our lives we need to perform it for at least two weeks. With a budget, go for three months. This gives you enough time to see if the changes that you have made are working. If they are, you will be spending less and saving more.

One way to stick to the budget is to automatically put any extra money in a savings account. This includes money from yard sales, hobbies, raises at work, and bonuses. Since you didn’t have this money to count on before, you won’t miss it if it goes straight to a savings account. When you have reached $500 or $1,000, place the money in a certificate of deposit or an IRA account.

Budgets are subject to change. If you find that the restrictions in one area are causing you to cheat on your budget, add more money for that area and lower the allowable spending in another area. Budgets are fluid. They change as your financial picture changes and your circumstances change. Don’t be afraid of it, but use it to help you live the kind of life that you want.

If you need to, purchase financial software to keep track of spending habits each month. After three months see how you have done. Don’t be disappointed if you didn’t quite hit the mark. As long as you are trying, you are committed to doing a better job of money management.

Living frugally requires forethought, creativity, and common sense. Taking advantage of a deal when you can find one is the way that we save money on the things we use most. Saving money now, means more money to utilize later. And, there is always a later.

That extra money comes in handy for the unexpected. We’ve all experienced it. Car repairs, house repairs, new appliances, and hospital bills can all derail even the well-planned budget. Keeping the money we don’t spend in an account dedicated for the unexpected provides peace of mind in a time of crisis. And, our budget can continue as written.

How to Dry and Preserve Roses

Drying and Preserving Valentine Roses

Roses are a popular flower for giving at any time of the
year but none more so than on Valentines Day for which
the Red Rose has become an expression of love.

The Rose, in all it’s shapes and sizes, is well worth the
trouble of drying although the flowers do tend to shrivel
a little and the colour tends to turn darker especially
with the true red roses.

To preserve your roses try one of the following methods.

Air Drying Roses

The best results are obtained when all the petals of the
bud can be seen.

Pick roses only on a dry day after any dew has evaporated.
Roses with firm buds that are just about to open are are
best for air drying, To air dry hang the roses in a dark,
dry, cool place with good ventilation. The buds will open
up over a few days the the whole process takes couple of
weeks.

When dry a little hair lacquer sprayed on will protect the
rose and make it last longer.

Preserving Roses

This can be done using a desiccant such as silica gel.
alum, sand or borax. Place your desiccant into a bowl
making sure that the desiccant is entirely dry. Remove
the stem of the rose and push a short length of florist
wire through the centre of the the rose and replace the
stem.

Push the wire stem into the bowl of desiccant and carefully
spoon the desiccant over the rose. Seal the container and
leave to dry out. Silica takes about 48 hours, but alum
and borax take about 2 weeks and sand can take up to about
4 weeks.

Your desiccant can be used again by carefully drying out
in an oven. When cooled it should be ready to use again.

Dried and preserved roses are also nice to use when making
pot pourri as they nearly always retain their scent. Add
extra scent with a drop or two of rose oil into the pot
pourri mix then displayed in open bowls of petals with
similar colouring or in or use in sachets mixes for clothes
drawers or the airing cupboard.

How to Start a Blog to Make Money

How to Start a Blog for Profit

An online presence is important these days for whatever enterprise you engage in. to connect with a wide variety of people there is no bigger forum than the Internet. If you are looking for a way to show off your expertise and also make a little money while doing it, consider starting a blog.

What is a Blog?

A blog is actually an online journal of sorts. With a blog you can upload daily posts about anything that you want. Some people create personal blogs as a way to keep in touch with family members. Pictures, videos and other information are uploaded so your loved ones are current with what is going on with you.

Here we are going to talk about business blogs. This is a blog that you begin to attract traffic in order to sell products or services. To be interesting to others, your blog will need to:

• Have updated content for visitors
• Be marketed to draw traffic
• Register with search engines so it can be found in the rankings

How to Start

If you are new to blogging, use a free blogging platform to get your feet wet. Sites like Blogger.com, WordPress.org, Blogspot.com and others offer free blogs to users. Depending on the site you choose, the themes and plug-ins (added features) will vary. Most will walk you through the process step by step so that you can be up and running in no time.

Before you start posting, decide what will be the theme, or niche of your blog. A jack-of-all-trades type of blog doesn’t do as well as one that is geared towards a certain niche. If you like crafts, that can be your niche. Create posts that talk about how to craft, what to craft, how to make crafting profitable and so on. Once you have decided on a path, it is time to create that great content.

How to Make Money

In order to make money with your blog, you need to have people visiting it. That is where marketing comes in. to draw traffic you have to get the word out about your blog. Tell all of your friends and family members that you are online with your blog for a start.

Any money-making venture will take place once you have built your readership with interesting posts. Then you can put into play a number of profitable additions:

• Google AdSense
• Selling Advertising
• Affiliate Marketing
• EBook Marketing

The simplest one to pursue is Google AdSense. You are using targeted advertisements to create revenue for your blog. You are paid per clicks on the ads.

There are other options where you can get paid when someone makes a sale on that website. That is more likely to happen when you join an affiliate program. Join affiliate program that work well with your website niche.

EBooks are short downloadable electronic books that you can create yourself and sell on your website. They can be on a variety of subjects but in order for them to sell, you must be able to offer new information to your customers.

Blogs can be used to build revenue. Start with your chosen niche and market your blog to find the traffic you need. Then, utilize these ideas to turn a profit.