Archive for October, 2008

Divorce, how to deal with money issues

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

money issuesYou need to find ways to save money during the divorce so you don’t end up going into debt or needing a second job. When your marriage is over, the last thing on your mind should be your money, but it usually is. You have to learn ways to protect yourself so that you have money to live on through the divorce and after the divorce. You will find yourself angry and confused after you have announced your split, but you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed about the money you may lose. Many people find out the hard way what divorce really means, and it usually means they leave you with half your stuff.

First, you should never get married without a prenup. If you don’t have the prenup, you will be in so much water when the divorce comes. You don’t need a prenup just if your rich, you need a prenup regardless off your assets. When it comes to your finances, why on earth take any chances of losing good, hard-earned money? Secondly, you need to know your finances throughout the marriage. You need to know where at least 80% of the money, if not all the money, goes.

You need to know your wealth. You wealth is your assets minus your debts. If you have $10,000 in the bank, and you have a total of $50,000 (which is a combination of credit cards, mortgages, car payments, and other things that you may owe on), then you have $40,000 worth of debt, you’re wealth is nothing. However, if you own you own home and paid $40,000 for it, and have a couple thousand on credit and a couple grand left on a car payment, you have a lot of wealth that needs to be protected. Even if you have debt, you want to make sure that you don’t get stuck with it by protecting yourself with a clause in your prenup.

As for refinancing during the divorce, anything that the other person wants, make sure you take your name off the deed. If your cars are in both names, get the name taken off just so if they fall behind in payments, you don’t have to worry about your credit being ruined. Usually, the house has to be sold and divided so you shouldn’t have to do anything about your name on the deed. However, they can buy you out and then you will need to get your name off the deed and the mortgage.

To really know your finances you should get your credit report. Many credit vendors like credit card companies and credit lenders will let you know what your credit is for free. However, there is a $15 fee to know if you get it from a credit report company. You should also open your own bank accounts and always keep your money separate. This way you know what is yours and what is theirs. You will also want to keep your credit cards separate as well. This way you can keep your debt separate too.

When going through the divorce you will want to think about cutting them off your health benefits at work. This way you can save money, plus get them off your benefits completely. You will want to change beneficiaries of any policies that you may have with your mate as the beneficiary. If you took his name, you can file paper work to regain your maiden name, however, it is costly; you may want to save this for later. You will also want to talk to your lawyer about the house. The house should, by rights, sell and the proceeds divided up.

Divorce - How to rebuild your life, how to talk to your children

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

children and divorceIf your child is young, you will want to talk to them about your divorce with your partner. You may want to leave the talk up to the parent that is closer to the child if they are in their teens or older. A child, at any age, will have an issue with their parents during a divorce. You will want to be careful how you handle the situation because you never know what may happen and what the child might do to react to the divorce. To a small child, divorce is the hardest. Their entire world seems to collapse

They will become enraged and scared. They won’t know what to expect, until you talk to them, they will feel like they have just become an orphan. When it come to a divorce with children involved, you will want to make it as quickly and do a lot of damage control. You will need tot talk to them about how they feel and you can learn how to support your child through this.

How to you tell your child that daddy/mommy is moving out?  You should talk about your break up and the divorce as soon as you know that it will go through. You will need to tell the child what is going to happen so they can expect everything and not be affected by surprise or shock. You need to make sure that they understand that your marriage did not fail because of them. You will want to tell your child that they are still loved and that nothing, other than sleeping arrangements will change. The kids need to know that they aren’t losing a parent. If you find it hard to be together with your partner, then you may take your child aside and talk to them with another that loves them very dearly. You may want to ask the babysitter or someone whom they are close to so that they can receive support.

You should also try to make the talk quick and easy. You will need to give your statement and a little definition of what means. Tell them how the divorce will effect their lives and you should be as honest as possible. You need to tell them why you are getting a divorce, explain the word divorce, and then tell them how it will affect their relationship with their parents. Make sure that you don’t say anything bad about your partner. Just tell your kids that you feel that the two of you would be better apart. The kids are smart and may agree, but they will be angry and scared because they do not feel secure. Don’t ever say anything about the divorce that is negative, even if you are on the phone in a different room. You never know how it will effect their lives.

You should not just tell your kids how you feel and about the divorce and then never talk about it again. You need to encourage them to ask questions for the next couple of months. Smaller children will find difficulty so you will want to make sure that feel safe and secure even if one of their parent’s move out.

Some of the questions that you need to be prepared to answer are What’s a divorce, Why are you two getting a divorce, Do you still love them, and they may ask you to see the other parent. All of these questions need to be answered as soon as possible so that they can feel secure again. You may want to ask their teachers if they are acting up and for any tips or news that may suggest that the child is having a hard accepting the news.

Overnight Wedding Reception Ideas

Monday, October 27th, 2008

Wedding ReceptionSome brides these days are turning wedding receptions on their head and creating super long receptions that run through the night and into the morning. If this is you, planning some activities for those long nighttime hours is essential.

Generally, if an all-night reception is planned, it goes something like this: the wedding is held in the early evening and reception follows. By about midnight, many of the guests will have left and the group that is remaining (generally the younger guests, but not always) will continue to dance and party and revel into the early morning hours. At some point, breakfast will be provided and everyone will go home to crash.

Why do you need activities for such a reception? The answer is simple. You want to keep people entertained through the nighttime hours, you want to keep them at the reception and not let them give in to driving home to crash and sleep and you want to provide them with a real party. Let’s face it: if they are willing to hang in with you for the duration, they deserve something for their effort.

First, you need to be fairly organized about the activities you plan. Consult with your DJ about these activities and leave it to him or her to keep things on a schedule. Do not plan to cut cake in the middle of the night. That activity should take place during the more traditional evening hours, so those not intending to stay all night can leave. However, if you’re determined to keep your guests all night, you could hold one activity back with the hope it will keep guests in the house longer.

Depending on your guest list, you might hold off on the father-daughter dance until after midnight, or you could save a few toasts for the late night hours. In any event, having some other fun events is a great idea.

As guests begin to fade, bring in a piсata, which you can find shaped like a wedding ring, a bridal dress or a champagne flute. Fill it with a variety of goodies. Candy is always popular, but you could also fill it with silly toys found in the carnival section of the party store. Have the DJ play a spirited song and let everyone have a chance at the piсata. Do this on the dance floor and really let people have a swing at it. There should be plenty of room. Once the piсata breaks, everyone can enjoy a taste of sweet candy or can enjoy some silly little carnival game or toy.

People who stay for the duration of the wedding are going to need a rest. Plan a photo presentation or video viewing for this purpose. You could have someone who’s familiar with PowerPoint create a photo presentation or have someone  put together a video of photos. Do this around 2 or 3 am and have it last a good half hour to 45 minutes. This gives everyone a chance to sit down and relax and also gives the DJ a chance to sit, have a rest and rejuvenate for the next round.

In that same vein of allowing the guests a little relaxation, one activity that some brides employ is a non-activity. If the weddig is outside, you can provide inflatable mattresses and have some torches lit. If guests ant to sit down and relax, they can do so on the mattresses and still be part of the activity while resting. If it’s been a long day and someone needs to rest, those reception room chairs don’t seem the most comfortable. If the reception is indoors, think about providing large pillows for guests to sit on or create a corner with inflatable mattresses and lots of fabric. This can be a chatting area where people can go to rest but still be part of the fun. They can chat and catch up with other guests and then head back for more partying when they’re rejuvenated.

Wedding Favors for Less Than One Dollar

Saturday, October 25th, 2008

Wedding Favors for Less Than One DollarWhen most people think of wedding favors they do not think it will be a substantial part of the wedding budget. This is largely because the unit price of each wedding favor is often quite low. However, it is important to remember that this price must be multiplied by the number of guests in attendance and this can really add up if there are a large number of guests at the wedding. It can also add up quickly if the unit price is quite high. As example consider wedding favors with unit prices of $2 and $10. If you plan to have 500 guests at your wedding and give each one a $2 favor your budget for wedding favors will be the same as it would be if you plan to have a small wedding of only 100 people and give each of them a favor which costs $10. In both cases you would need to have a budget of $1000 for wedding favors. From this example you can see why it is very important to consider both the unit price as well as the number of guests. Fortunately, whether you are having a large or a small wedding there are many wedding favors available for less than $1 which can help to keep the wedding favor budget low. This article will provide some ideas for wedding favors which typically cost less than $1.

Place card holders are one type of wedding favor which is typically available for less than $1 per place card holder. There are certainly some place card holders which will cost much more than $1 per unit but you are likely to also find many which are priced under $1. Place card holders make great wedding favors because they not only serve a purpose at the wedding but they can also be used as small picture frames by the guests after the wedding.

Tins containing mints are another option for wedding favors which are often priced at under $1 per unit. These tins come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes but the tins which are priced at less than $1 are likely to be quite small. However, there are also a wide variety of designs available. You can purchase ones which feature a tuxedo design or a wedding dress. You can also find tins with wedding bells or flowers on the top.

Another way to find wedding favors for less than $1 per favor is to inquire with the wedding favor distributor about clearance or closeout items. These are often items which have been discontinued or which the distributor is not planning to stock anymore. Many distributors are willing to offer these favors at discounted prices because they do not have many left and are trying to free up space in their warehouse. If these items have been discontinued or the distributor is not willing to order more you may be limited to the number of favors the distributor has in stock. If this quantity is enough to meet your needs, you are certainly in luck but if you need more than is available, it might be a good idea to search for other inexpensive wedding favors unless you know for sure there is another distributor who can sell you additional quantities of the same favor.

Personalized Wedding Favors

Friday, October 24th, 2008

Personalized Wedding FavorsMany couples opt to give personalized wedding favors to their guests. Personalized wedding favors are a good idea because they often include the names of the couple as well as the wedding date. This helps to ensure that the guests will remember where they received the favor. Many people attend a large number of weddings throughout their lifetimes and over time the favors they receive at these weddings may become indistinguishable. However, couples who opt to distribute personalized wedding favors often do not have this problem because their guests simply have to look at the gift to remember who gave it to them. They will also be more likely to remember details of the wedding when they receive a personalized wedding favor. This article will provide some information on the types of personalized wedding favors available and will provide some useful information for giving personalized wedding favors.

When giving personalized wedding favor it is very important to plan ahead. This is so important because unlike other wedding favors which can be bought right off the shelves, personalized wedding favors require special processing. Even if the favors are already manufactured, they may still need to go through an additional process to personalize the item. This requires additional time. It will likely take at least a few days for your order to be processed and the manufacturer may have a number of other orders ahead of yours awaiting personalization. This means the wait for personalized orders can be as little as a couple of days but may take a week or even longer depending on the size of your order and how busy the manufacturer is at the time. Rush orders are usually an option but they also usually involve high fees. In fact you will likely find that a rush order may double or even triple the cost of each favor.

Just about any wedding favor can be personalized. The most popular way to personalize a wedding favor is to include the names of the bride and the groom and the date of the wedding. This can be done on items ranging from candy wrappers to pictures frames and fortune cookies to candle holders. However, including the names of the bride and the groom and the date of the wedding is not the only way to personalize a wedding favor. The couple may opt to have an item personalized with a quotation from their favorite song or poem or with a line or two from their wedding vows.

Another popular option for purchasing personalized wedding favors is to give edible favors. Many different kinds of edible favors can be personalized. Photo cookies are just one example. Many bakeries can produce these cookies based on a photo you submit to them. They may require you to submit the photo electronically or they may be able to scan a photo into their system. The couple can choose to have their photos placed on the cookies and may also include a few words such as the date or a quote from a love song.

When giving wedding favors, the gift wrapping can also be personalized. Many couples opt to wrap wedding favors in simple white paper but they can also include ribbons with their names and the wedding date to make the favor wrapping more personal. These types of ribbons can be purchased either precut or in one continuous ribbon which must be cut by the person wrapping the favor. The precut ribbons are likely to be more expensive but they can save the person doing the wrapping a great deal of time.

Inexpensive Valentine’s Day Gifts

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

Inexpensive Valentine’s Day GiftsIf you have ever bought roses for a loved one on Valentine’s Day you have likely noticed that roses are significantly more expensive on Valentine’s Day than they are at any other time of the year. This fact alone may make you think that a great Valentine’s Day gift has to be expensive. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. You can find really inexpensive gifts that your loved one will greatly appreciate. This article will provide a few tips for finding inexpensive Valentine’s Day gifts which are really meaningful but will also provide some tips for how traditional, expensive Valentine’s Day gifts can be modified in a way that makes them more affordable.

Consider the roses we previously mentioned. Buying your loved one a dozen roses on Valentine’s Day can be extremely expensive. However, there are other ways to give flowers without emptying your bank account. One way to make giving flowers more affordable is to consider giving a gift of a single red rose. This is not only an incredibly dramatic gift but it is also very affordable. Another way to make giving flowers on Valentine’s Day more affordable is to consider flowers which are not so popular on Valentine’s Day. These types of flowers are likely to be much less expensive. As long as it is a flower your partner enjoys it will make a great gift for Valentine’s Day.

There is another unique and inexpensive way to give a flower related gift on Valentine’s Day. You can give your partner a seeds or bulbs for her favorite flowers and pots to grow these flowers in. This is a great gift idea because it is original and it shows that you really know what your partner likes. It is also extremely affordable.

Ordering pizza and renting a few movies is another inexpensive gift idea for Valentine’s Day. You can even present your partner with a gift basket filled with a couple of movies, microwave popcorn, candy and a bottle of wine. Then the two of you can spend the evening together watching movies, snacking and just generally spending quality time together. Going out on Valentine’s Day can often be stressful not to mention expensive. However, you can save a great deal of money and have a more relaxing evening just by renting a few movies and spending an evening in with our loved one.

One final inexpensive gift idea for a Valentine’s Day gift is an elegant journal. You can find journals in a variety of sizes, shapes and styles basically anywhere books are solid. You can search for a journal in a style you know your partner will really love. Many journals come with a picture or a quote on the front and if you select one of these you should take care to ensure the picture or quote is something which will be meaningful and special to your partner. However, if you opt for a journal without a picture or a quote you should still seek out a style which will be visually appealing to your partner. This is very important because although a journal is essentially a book filled with empty pages, your partner is more likely to fill up these pages if she likes the look of the journal. Finally, you should fill the first page of the journal with a heartfelt note letting your partner know why you selecting this particular gift and encouraging your partner to use this book for whatever purpose she desires.

Mr. Perfect Does Not Exist!

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

perfect manThe sooner you realize this sad but true fact, the sooner you can get on with finding Mr. Close-Enough-To-Perfect. Prince Charming, riding on a white stallion, lost his way or found Princess Charming and got married on his way to your castle. Get over it and get on with it. You ARE going to have to actively seek the man of your dreams and you won’t find him hiding under your bed. You already know that he isn’t among the men that you are acquainted with so, now what? Online dating is “what”.

It’s true that online dating, while in its infancy, was only made up of perverts, sexual predators, nerds and weirdoes but that is no longer true. It has become the main tool of the single person in every developed country in the world. Forty million people can’t all be wrong. Ask your girl friends if they have ever used online dating or are using it now. If they are honest with you, most of them have or are now members of at least one online dating site and maybe more than one. It really is the way to go to meet eligible men who want to meet you. It doesn’t matter what any of your numbers are…like age, height, weight or income either. Somewhere out there in the big wide world there is a man who will like you…..then love you….and think that you are beautiful and desirable. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is true. What is considered beautiful in one part of the world is completely different from what is considered beautiful in another part of the world. It’s even different from one part of this country to another.

Find an online dating site that fits your needs. Write a great profile and post a flattering picture. Start contacting eligible men on the site. Mr. Close-enough-to-perfect could be a few mouse clicks away.

Pregnancy: After Birth: Should You Return to Work

Monday, October 20th, 2008

After BirthAre you a woman who has just recently had a baby?  If you are, congratulations!  The birth of a new child is a fun, adventurous, and memorable experience.  Although work may be the farthest thing from your mind right now, it is something that you may want to take the time to think about.  After having a baby, a large number of women wonder whether or not they should return to work.

When it comes to determining if you should return to work after having a baby, there are a number of important factors that you will want to take into consideration. For many women, money is an issue.  How is your current financial situation?  Before your baby was born, were you relying on one or two incomes?  This simple question may play an important role in your decision.  Many women are able to stay at home with their children if they have another source of income, like a regular paycheck from their spouse or live in partner.

Although money may be an issue for you, when determining if you should return to work after the birth of your child, it is also important to examine the money that you may save. As a parent, you likely wouldn’t send your child to just any daycare center.  Unfortunately, daycare providers that come highly rated and recommend often have high fees.  It is not uncommon for parents to pay one hundred dollars or more a week in childcare expenses, just for one child.  It is also important to examine the reduction in work purchased snacks and drinks, as well as gasoline to and from work.  After this comparison, you may find that staying home with your child, after their birth, is actually a cost effective solution.

When determining if you should return to work after the birth of your child, you are also urged to examine the benefits of staying home.  From birth to the toddler age, children are at an important stage in their life.  Many experts have stated that close contact between parents and their children can help improve their relationship, as well as improve their developmental skills, as someone is working with them at all times. These are just important factors to take into consideration.

Of course, it is also important to remember that you don’t just have to be a stay-at-home mom.  There are a large number of mothers in the United States who are considered work-at-home moms. With a computer and internet access, there are a number of work-at-home jobs or home-based business opportunities that can allow you to stay at home with your new baby, as well as bring in a source of income.  If you have yet to return to work, working from home is something that you may at least want to take into consideration.

The above mentioned points are mostly centered on the benefits of staying at home with your child, after their birth.  While there are a number of benefits to doing so, you should also know that there are a number of benefits to sending your child to daycare, as long as that daycare comes highly rated and recommended. Perhaps, the greatest benefit is the social interaction that your child will likely receive by being around other children.  It is also important to mention your own needs. Working from home or staying at home with kids is a large task, one that can occasionally be stressful.  That is why many mothers make the decision to return to the workforce after having a child, for their own sanity.

As you likely already know, the decision as to whether or not you want to return to work after the birth of your baby is your decision to make, but the above mentioned points are ones that you may want to keep in mind.  Regardless of whether you decide to return to work or stay at home with your child, your and your child will likely have a long and healthy relationship with each other for years and years to come.

Wedding Toast Activities

Saturday, October 18th, 2008

Wedding Toast ActivitiesGiving a toast is a responsibility that puts fear in the speaking hearts of most members of a wedding party. While it’s not usually something that is particularly long or involved, it’s public speaking (which doesn’t sit well with many people) and really puts people on the spot.

If you are planning a wedding and know that most members of this wedding party are hams who won’t mind the whole “public speaking” thing, then by all means keep the toasts traditional with dad, the best man and others taking their expected turns at the microphone.

But if you’re looking for something different, either because you want to save putting people on the spot, or you simply want to do something different and fun, read on.

First, you can certainly take the whole toast thing off the agenda if you wish. There are no rules requiring a toast at any wedding. Weddings should be unique events and reflect the personalities of the bride and groom.

But if you want to do something a little different, there are options. You can go the video route, which asks people to essentially make a toast on camera and then the video is given to the bride and groom later. This isn’t a particularly unique idea, but it does solve the issue of not wanting to put people on the spot and still gives everyone a chance to say something special to the bride and groom.

If your guest list includes many outgoing people then consider “pass the microphone”. This can work in several ways. You can either be silly with it, or deadly serious. Most people like silly. Say dad takes the microphone first. His last name ends with T (so, let’s say dad’s last name is Smith). He must find someone whose first name begins with a T (Tom? Tony? Tina? Theresa?) and pass the microphone to that person, who then gives a toast.

This method of giving toasts does put people on the spot (certainly before the fun begins you can warn them so if they are really uncomfortable, they can escape to the restroom or bar) but it can also be a lot of fun. Getting people when they least expect it and then asking them to remember something funny or meaningful about the bride and groom can result in interesting, funny and truthful results.

You might also decide that one person at each table be required to give a toast. Number the tables and at various intervals, have the MC or DJ call a number, which will require guests at that table to decide amongst themselves who will give the toast at that table. Certainly, more than one person can if they like, but there will likely be at least one ham at each table who will enjoy standing up and toasting the newlyweds.

Say you have plenty of public speakers in the group, and finding willing toast participants won’t be a problem. But you think the subject matter might be. There’s an easy solution to this problem. You can provide open-ended topics for the toast speakers. Say you are providing an “open mike” toast arrangement, where anyone can request the microphone and offer a toast. The DJ, MC or someone else in the wedding party (perhaps the maid of honor or best man) can offer the speaker a surprise topic, which might be pulled from a champagne flute or drawn out of the floral arrangement on the head table. There might be slips of paper to choose, or just one sheet of paper with several ideas.

The speaker might choose to finish this sentence, “I remember when (groom’s name here) was a little boy, he always …” or answer this question, “When was (insert bride’s name here) at her silliest? Tell us the story”. You might have to give each speaker a minute or two to collect their thoughts, but you’re sure to have some interesting stories, some unique anecdotes and some different perspectives on the bride and groom.

Active Wedding Reception Games

Friday, October 17th, 2008

Active Wedding Reception GamesWe’ve all been to receptions that are standard - we welcome and celebrate the new married couple, watch them dance, and enjoy cake with them. But creative couples often enjoy coming up with fun games that include the entire guest list.

Including the guests is an excellent way to get people out of their chairs, meeting people they might not otherwise know and feeling like they are truly a part of the celebration, not just observers.

One fun and active game that can be played by all your guests, including grandma as well as the young children, is “want it now”.

In this game, you designate a master of ceremonies (if you have a DJ for your wedding reception, this person can serve as the DJ). The MC will have a list of “wants” prepared before the reception. Everyone sits at their tables, and waits to hear the command. The MC says he wants a person with painted toenails. All the women with painted toenails run to the front of the room, toward the MC. Each time a table sends someone to the front first, they get a point.

Points should be tallied during the course of this game and prizes awarded at the end of the game. Be sure to have some obvious “wants”, as is the painted toenails, or a man with a mustache or a child with a pink dress. But also include some surprises, like “a man with a brown purse” which will require a man to find a woman at his table with the brown purse and run up to the front of the room with that.

Another fun wedding reception game that includes all your guests is musical chairs using men as the chairs. All the men line up and kneel on one knee. The women begin playing the game of musical chairs, but when the music stops, they must find a knee to sit on. No “chairs” are removed during the version of the game, but instead people are eliminated when either the man falls down when the woman finds his knee or when the woman falls down. Both are out either way, and if both fall down, they are also both out then (as well as perhaps a bit bruised). This is a fun game that often brings on gales of laughter and adds to a relaxed reception atmosphere.

If many guests are traveling a good distance to the wedding or don’t know many other guests, it’s always fun to include a game that will allow them to now only get to know each other but the bride and groom as well. For this game, you’ll need a MC again, which can be a very outgoing member of the wedding party or the DJ. The reception guests are broken into two groups, which can be as simple as having people count off “1, 2, 1, 2″ and so on until the entire guest list is either a “1″ or a “2″. Then the two groups band together for the duration of the game.

The DJ, or MC, offers a series of questions relating to the bride and groom. The teams should work together to answer the questions, then as quickly as possible provide the answer. The bride and groom will confirm if the answer is correct or not. This is an excellent way for otherwise “stranger” guests to get to know one another and have some fun in the process. It’s also an excellent way to get to know the bride and groom!

Organizing games at a wedding reception is a great way to get people involved and make them feel they are truly a part of the celebration. It’s also a way to fill time, if the wedding planners know this isn’t a “dancing” group or if you want to loosen people up for a long night of celebrating. Whether a small or large wedding, reception games work for just about any group.

In addition, don’t assume wedding reception guests will be offended or annoyed by these active games. Most people report to wedding planners they truly enjoy being more active and having fun games to play during a wedding reception.