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I recall reading an article in the UK press about the revenge taken by a “woman scorned”.  Her response to her husband’s affair was very dramatic to say the least; she cut the legs and arms off all of his suits and then set about distributing the contents of his celebrated wine cellar around the village in which they lived – one or two bottles on each and every doorstep, together with their morning milk delivery!  Quite inventive.  And then I’m sure we all read about the case of a certain man whose furious wife decided that cutting legs off suits simply wasn’t enough and took a knife to his manhood instead.  I subsequently read that he turned this to his advantage by becoming a porn star;  Apparently so many people wanted to see his “wotsit”, he not only had it sewn back on again, he had a couple of inches added aswell!

This doesn’t appear to be an uncommon occurrence; just Google “cut off his willy” and there are numerous references to this form of revenge.  In fact I did hear that some ladies have taken this one step further, and attached their partners’ manhood to helium balloons so as to ensure that they would not be able to have them sewn back on again. Ouch!

What is the message being conveyed?  Is the aim simply to make sure that they won’t be able to do THAT again?  Or “you hurt me and so I’ll hurt you”, in the spirit of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”?  Or is it to expose their actions to the world at large, to embarrass them just as you feel you have been embarrassed? Is it simply a way of lashing out?  All of the above are intertwined, I’m sure.

Not everyone responds in such a dramatic manner.  Have you watched the film “the women”?  It’s an intriguing film, with Meg Ryan (in the most recent version) playing the housewife who thinks everything is running along quite smoothly….until she discovers her husband’s dalliance with the perfume girl in their local upscale store.  This film depicts every type of woman, all ages, shapes, sizes and mentalities – and each has their own take on how the husband should be dealt with.  The mother’s is the voice of reason (and experience) recommending  a stiff upper lip combined with a period of playing hard to get, and letting him know what he is missing.  Sensible woman – this approach was working rather well, until friends added their opinions into the mix!
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But, how do you control your emotions, and turn a blind eye, when your heart is breaking?  And how do you know if your partner is just having a minor dalliance or if they have really fallen in love?  It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to be logical when your emotions are involved.  Logic and emotions are like “oil and water” and rarely do they mix well in these circumstances.  In fact whenever you are confronted with a situation perceived as a threat (and this type of circumstance definitely falls into that category) your higher brain functions are effectively cut off, ensuring that you cannot think logically.  One has to step back and calm down before your logical brain can re-engage.  Your emotions definitely need to be managed in such circumstances. And hypnosis can be invaluable here.

Whether it’s best to lash out or to turn a blind eye is a matter of personal opinion.  Either way, there’s a lot you can do to help yourself to think logically and deal with an undesirable situation in the most effective manner possible.  And if it does end in a permanent rift, it’s massively important to be your own best friend and to make it as easy as possible for you to move on.  There is an art to moving on after a broken relationship, but you can learn it, and apply it.  Hypnosis is extremely useful in all this as in itself it is a state of relaxation, and allows you to take a step back and think logically;  you can rebuild your confidence and see things from a different angle with a few well placed suggestions…and prepare yourself to attract a better partner into your life.

Roseanna Leaton

BSc (Hons)(Psych), DHP, MIAPH

http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com

Roseanna Leaton

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Learn how to sew the body of a tote bag with expert tips and advice in this free how-to video on making your own tote bag. Expert: Terri Turco Bio: Terri Turco is a clothing designer, interior decorator, consummate baker, and lifestyle diva. Filmmaker: Louis Nathan

Behavioral Symptoms To Watch Out For In Your child

Autism is a complex issue and needs to be handled with the utmost care and understanding. If you find that your child has symptoms of autism, this will pose a challenge to you, and you may find that your child is not behaving like other children, in which case you will need to go to your family doctor so that he can assess the child and if he feels the need, he will refer you to specialists in the field who will be able to diagnose and treat your child.

Signs Of Autism That You Need To Be Aware Of

One of the earliest signs of autism is the fact that the child does not interact socially and is incapable of expressing emotions normally – the child also does not have a feeling of closeness with family and friends as normal children do. Children with autism shy away from bonding or touching other children.

Another sign that you need to be aware of is a communication problem especially with their same age group. Sometimes they are unable to speak and only sounds emanate from them and they gesture to others. There are certain cases where the child talks but mostly they repeat words that they hear and are unable to talk on their own – also if they do speak, it is in a monotonous manner and well below their own age group.

You will need to assess the effect of sensory stimulation on your child. Sometimes children get nervous and agitated at sounds, and at other times they may have a fixation on a certain sound or light for a length of time. It is necessary to consult a pediatrician if your child displays any of these signs.

There are certain rituals that a child with autism may do on a regular basis. If this is not done, the child may be greatly agitated – for instance a child may only eat a particular type of food and desire to wear only certain type of clothes, and if this is not adhered to, will get into a temper and behave in an extremely agitated manner.

It is important to note that if your child displays any of these symptoms, you should consult your doctor who will make an analysis, and advise you as to how you need to handle the situation. If he finds it necessary, he will refer you to a specialist in the field who will be able to make a more detailed analysis, and put your child on to treatment immediately, so that you will be able to give your child the correct treatment which will enable him to live a better life.

Abhishek Agarwal

Technorati Tags: "making, bags, cloth, clothes, crafts, fabric, needles, sewing, thread, tote

What is more rewarding in the world than having your baby dressed in an outfit that has been specially crocheted by yourself like booties or cute sweaters. The Art of Crochet you will find is the easiest of all crafts to learn, even for total beginners of using yarn. It takes just an evening to crochet booties and a matching sweater for baby will take a weekend.

Baby Booties

To make the baby booties just require the basic stiches of : chain stitch (cs), dec (pull up the loop of the next 2 stitches, pull the yarn over then through both of the loops on the hook), and single crochet (SC).

1 Get some worsted weight yarn, equip yourself with a size H crochet hook, and start by 5 CS (Chain Stitch). Turn and SC for 3 chains, 5 SC at the end chain, one SC in bottom loop at each of the next 3 SC stitches. The end chain is then 5 SC to turn the corner.

2 Now 5 SC, two SC in the next stitch; repeat 2 SC in the next stitch, repeat again, 5 SC, 2 SC in the next stitch, SC, 2 SC in the next stitch, SC, and 2 SC in the next stitch.

3 8 SC, 2 SC in the next stitch, 5 SC, 2 SC in the next, 8 SC, 2 SC in the next, 5 SC, and 2 SC in the next.

4 and 5 Even crochet with no increases for these next 2 rounds. Notice the sole as it begins to curve upwards. Once you have done the second round, turn.

6 SC for 5 SC, dec, 3 SC, dec, 5 SC, then turn.

7 SC for 3 SC, dec, 1 SC, dec, 3 SC, then turn.

8 SC for 1 SC, dec, dec, 1 SC, then turn.

9 and 10 SC in each SC, again continuing the rounds, dec one at either side of the top of the bootie for the next two rounds.

11, 12 and 13 Work these 3 rounds evenly, and finish by fastening off.

Repeat, to make the second bootie.

You can, if you wish, put a design on top of the baby booties such as an embroidered flower.

Do you want to Learn fashion Design? Bob Martin Made Me A Fashion Designer

The booties can be crocheted in many different colours of your choice as they are so simple to make, so that you have a collection.

Sweater

It is easy to make the sweater too, which is designed ideally for fitting a newborn baby up to 6 months. The same type of yarn and hook are used.

1 Chain 45, and turn.

2 SC for the next 5 SC. Next, inc. by 2 SC, Chain 2, and in one stitch 2 SC. For the next 8 stitches SC, inc. by working SC for the next 16 stitches, inc., SC for 8 stitches, inc., and SC to the end.

3-12 Continue working the established pattern, even SC on all, inc. for each loop on Chain 2, until all 10 rows are completed.

13 This is the shaping row: Firstly, crochet the Ch 2 loop, crochet to Ch 2 loop, skip all the stitches till the next Ch 2 loop, and crochet that loop. SC each stitch of the next Ch 2 loop, skip all of the stitches till you reach the Ch 2 loop, SC the loop and then SC for each SC to the end, and turn.

Continue working until the sweater is 6 inches in measurement from the underarm. You can fasten off now.

For the right underarm, pick up and Crochet each SC. Continue working in rounds for the sleeve until it measure the same length as from the underarm as the body. Repeat to make the left sleeve. Finish by fastening off.

From the lower right hand, start by picking up the end stitch and crochet 1 SC each stitch at the front opening, around the collar, back down to the other side of the front of the sweater. The openings in the neck collar are now ready for a ribbon to be run through it, to make the necktie.

There you have it, a crochet sweater that it cozy and warm, with matching booties created by your own hands, especially for your baby. Aah!

Abhishek Agarwal

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Learn how to start sewing and making the body of a tote bag with expert tips in this free how-to video on making your own tote bag. Expert: Terri Turco Bio: Terri Turco is a clothing designer, interior decorator, consummate baker, and lifestyle diva. Filmmaker: Louis Nathan

The recession isn’t going to get any better before it gets worse. I hope you are the type of person that can read the economy if even just a little bit.

People I know are losing their jobs and I just think to myself, wow, this is really happening. People are facing worse econimic times then they ever have before.

This is the reason why I write this for you today. Truth is, I feel a little guilty. I’ve been working from home for a long time and I make very good money. People like me don’t really feel the pinch of the recession because we are so diversified. So basically, if one or two of my ventures slow down or stop completely, its ok. I have 40 other business ventures to back me up not to metion I’m constantly searching for new opportunities.

Recession or no recession, there are always opportunities. So you need to ask yourself this question: Do I have what it takes to become a Millionaire?

If you answered yes, then read on.

Working at home is wonderful because it allows you to be with your family more often than not. Most people are completely perplexed by how we work at home…I mean, where do we get our ideas to make money…and how do we make money from our ideas?

For starters, you can ask your friends what they are into or what the new trends are. You can look at the newspaper and magazines. The internet is always my first choice.

Find a few ideas that you think you would enjoy working on. Just keep in mind that your idea should also be worthy of other people’s interests as well.

You can purchase a few ebooks online and get your creative juices flowing. There are all too many ebooks that give step by step instructions on how to make money online.

Here are some other ideas to get you pointed in the right direction:

You can do online marketing for local business. Data entry jobs is tough but if you like that sort of thing…go for it. You can create your own ebook. No kidding.

Lets talk about that for a second. If you have knowledge about a certain subject, you should put it in writing and sell it online…it’s almost that easy.

You can become a ghost writer and get paid to do freelance work. Website design is still popluar as well.

If you like kids, why not explore what kinds of things you can do to make money that involves kids toys or clothes or something else like that.

You should always go with your passion if it is profitable. Drop it like its a hot potato if youcan’t make any money from it.

You can find a million websites that tell you how to make money online. I know, I’ve persoanlly bought a boat load of software and most of it didn’t work. I hope you don’t waste your money like I did.

Although I’ve been brief and very general, there is a method here. The method is simply finding out if this is really what you want to do.

If you are interested in working at home then I’m sure you’ll find my other articles and learn much more.

KK

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In this video, I’ll show you how to glue straight and curved seams. In the video I already cleaned the seams with mineral spirit and applied the glue. Visit www.makinglatexclothing.com to learn to make your own latex clothing.

Your personal theme can be changed, just like you change the theme of your browser or your computer. Your theme is built from partly what you have experienced in your life, partly what you have been taught, and partly from you genetics. These are the recurrent attitudes you approach life with. That’s your theme.

If you are worried constantly, “easy to anger”, take life with a “grain of salt”, are “always optimistic” about what is going to turn up – these are all life themes.

You change them, like any habit, through substituting another habit for them. Yes, attitudes are habits. They are adopted by repetition.

You can control any of your attitudes, and should. Just as you stand out if you are laughing at the wrong point in a theater or crying when everyone is jubilant around you at a football game, you attitudes should be appropriate for what is going on around you. This doesn’t mean you agree with everyone’s reactions – but you can decide whether you want to call attention to yourself.

I covered this point of controlling your attitudes in my book “Go Thunk Yourself(TM)!” Re-programming your habits was covered in my “Go Thunk Yourself, S’more!”.

Of course, I’m doing this for myself as I write this. The re-programming I’ve been doing in my own life has some interesting results so far. The program, as you may recall, is to play “The Secret” DVD several times every day for at least 30 days – and follow the tips and techniques in this DVD. You can also use Earl Nightingale’s “The Strangest Secret”.

I often listen to this as background while I am doing other work. What I’ve found is that my basic core attitudes have been changing. The text of the DVD has been becoming almost subliminal – listening to something like this makes it become nearly learned by rote, you often know the upcoming part and what is going to be said next. This is the exact point. If you can find a single recording which has a complete system on it, playing it over and over enables you to learn this and reprogram your life with it. There aren’t a lot of these recordings, but you will find that many authors such as Wayne Dyer and Earl Nightingale said to constantly play other self-help tapes in your life, to surround you with these articles, books and so on. You are going to reprogram yourself in this fashion.

Oddly, you can do this by simply turning off your radio, TV and reading less newspapers during your day. It’s interesting to see how quiet things are and what thoughts now come into your mind. If you do this, you can see what you are constantly thinking about during the day – what your “theme” is in life. You will see what your attitudes are and how you deal with things around you. Because you aren’t constantly being inundated with stories of the dead, dying, or threatening – you now have time to track your own thoughts. And then you can decide whether you want to change them or not.

Reprogramming is like gradually replacing all the colored clothes with whites or vice-versa. You mostly only can pull out a single item at a time and sometimes you pull out the wrong thing – but it’s ok to drop something back in. Sometimes you don’t have a choice, since a white long-sleeved shirt might be entangled with a pair of jeans. But you simply take out the pair, untangle them, and then put back in the one you want.

As you play an MP3 or DVD daily, you start to give yourself a recurrent line of thought to compare your other thoughts with. What I’ve found is that this method will show up a regular and definite chronic line of thought in your life. With “The Secret” DVD, I’m starting to change any old patterns of self-doubt, anxiety, temper with the positive emotions I really always have cherished. Only now, I can simply keep these positive emotions in my life as a constant theme.

So in your efforts to change your own theme, you are simply changing the world around you. That’s just the way it is. The only way this could fail would be in your keeping all this great stuff to yourself. But then, you’d be surrounded by people with secrets, wouldn’t you? And you would have mysteries constantly appearing in your life, wouldn’t you?

Your world and what you think is entirely up to you. What you experience around you is up to you. If you don’t like the stress in your life, if you don’t like the arguing, if you feel like you don’t control where your life is heading – change it.

I’ve laid out in this article how you can do it. You can change your life to whatever you want it to be. You can travel, become a millionaire, live a rock star’s life – anything you want. For me, I like living on a farm and having the time to do my artwork and write. You might like more action in your life – I cherish solitude. What you want in your life, what your theme is – all of this is up to you to change and sort out for yourself.

Whatever your life’s theme song is – it’s up to you. And only up to you. No one can change your life for you. Get one of the classics, or one of my books, or several – or listen to Dyer’s tapes, or Nightingale’s. Or pick up anyone else’s and play them constantly for yourself, for your own personal good.

And you’ll find your theme changing – so let us find you constantly humming your own theme song.

Dr. Robert C. Worstell, Phd

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It’s halfway through January and your initial enthusiasm for those fitness resolutions may be waning.

People Grappling with diets often eat until their plate is clean, rather than when they feel full.

People grappling with diets often eat until their plate is clean, rather than when they feel full.

After maintaining an austere, healthy diet for a few weeks, the desire to eat a juicy cheeseburger proves too irresistible for some dieters.

“It’s natural that most people when they are following a New Year’s resolution or any program to change something in their life, that they will fall off the wagon or they’ll have a setback or a failure,” said Jillian Michaels, a personal trainer for NBC’s show “The Biggest Loser.”

Rather than beating yourself up after having a setback, learn from the missteps, experts say.

It’s a matter of attitude, Michaels said. Learn from the setbacks and view “a failure as a point of learning, an opportunity to see what works and what doesn’t.”

For those grappling with diets,striving for moderation is a constant battle.
House Call
Learn the top changes you need to make or break bad diet habits in 2009
8:30 a.m. ET Sat. & Sun.
see full schedule »

“We eat with our eyes, not out of our stomach,” said Dr. Melina Jampolis, the diet and fitness expert for CNNhealth.com. “It’s much more difficult to control serving sizes.”

People have a tendency to keep eating until their plate is clean or the container of cookies is empty.

“A lot of people eat too much and their clothes feel tight. You shouldn’t have to unbutton your pants, blouse or unzip anything after your meal,” said Cheryl Forberg, the nutritionist for “The Biggest Loser.” “You lose sight of your body’s natural hunger cues.”
Don’t Miss

* Nine nutrition essentials for 2009
* Steps to trim calories and waistline

To become more attuned to your body, avoid eating while standing up, sitting at the desk or inside a car, she said. Dedicate time for meals and snacks.

Rather than viewing meals as an obligatory part of the day, “learn to enjoy the process. At the same time, you begin to stop eating when you’re comfortable, instead of when you have to unzip your jeans,” Forberg said.

Avoid stocking problem foods like cookies or ice cream in the house if you know you can’t resist them.
Health Library

* MayoClinic.com: Weight maintenance — keep the weight off permanently
* MayoClinic.com: Eating and exercise — time it right to maximize your workout

“When you know you have a weakness with chocolate or cookies, you probably shouldn’t keep it in the house if you know you can’t stop at one,” she said.

One way to retrain the body is to divide snacks by portion sizes.

“Those 100-calories packs retrain people to the eye and decrease the snacking,” Jampolis said. “It’s more expensive and not environmentally friendly, but you’re much better off getting a 100-calorie pack rather than eating out of container.”

“If you’re on a budget and you want to be more environmentally friendly, make your own. Every Sunday, measure 100 calories into seven Ziploc bags,” she said. You can even recycle the bags.

References:

CNN- Madison Park

After maintaining an austere, healthy diet for a few weeks, the desire to eat a juicy cheeseburger proves too irresistible for some dieters.

“It’s natural that most people when they are following a New Year’s resolution or any program to change something in their life, that they will fall off the wagon or they’ll have a setback or a failure,” said Jillian Michaels, a personal trainer for NBC’s show “The Biggest Loser.”

Rather than beating yourself up after having a setback, learn from the missteps, experts say.

It’s a matter of attitude, Michaels said. Learn from the setbacks and view “a failure as a point of learning, an opportunity to see what works and what doesn’t.”

For those grappling with diets,striving for moderation is a constant battle.
House Call
Learn the top changes you need to make or break bad diet habits in 2009
8:30 a.m. ET Sat. & Sun.
see full schedule »

“We eat with our eyes, not out of our stomach,” said Dr. Melina Jampolis, the diet and fitness expert for CNNhealth.com. “It’s much more difficult to control serving sizes.”

People have a tendency to keep eating until their plate is clean or the container of cookies is empty.

“A lot of people eat too much and their clothes feel tight. You shouldn’t have to unbutton your pants, blouse or unzip anything after your meal,” said Cheryl Forberg, the nutritionist for “The Biggest Loser.” “You lose sight of your body’s natural hunger cues.”
Don’t Miss

* Nine nutrition essentials for 2009
* Steps to trim calories and waistline

To become more attuned to your body, avoid eating while standing up, sitting at the desk or inside a car, she said. Dedicate time for meals and snacks.

Rather than viewing meals as an obligatory part of the day, “learn to enjoy the process. At the same time, you begin to stop eating when you’re comfortable, instead of when you have to unzip your jeans,” Forberg said.

Avoid stocking problem foods like cookies or ice cream in the house if you know you can’t resist them.
Health Library

* MayoClinic.com: Weight maintenance — keep the weight off permanently
* MayoClinic.com: Eating and exercise — time it right to maximize your workout

“When you know you have a weakness with chocolate or cookies, you probably shouldn’t keep it in the house if you know you can’t stop at one,” she said.

One way to retrain the body is to divide snacks by portion sizes.

“Those 100-calories packs retrain people to the eye and decrease the snacking,” Jampolis said. “It’s more expensive and not environmentally friendly, but you’re much better off getting a 100-calorie pack rather than eating out of container.”

“If you’re on a budget and you want to be more environmentally friendly, make your own. Every Sunday, measure 100 calories into seven Ziploc bags,” she said. You can even recycle the bags.

References:

CNN- Madison Park

Natalie Pyles

For more detailed instructions, please visit: www.funnyonesies.net You can easily create your own funny onesis – all it takes is an ink jet printer, an iron, transfer paper, inexpensive gerber onesies (blank), and imagination! In the example here, I created a Buffalo Bills football onesie for my son – now a die-hard Buffalo Bills fan! Watch this video, and learn how to save money on children’s clothes.

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Personal finance and business finance are based on the same principles – only the scale is different. Let’s see how business control their finances and apply it to your finances with 7 simple skills.

Skill #1. Learn Where Your Money Goes (Business controls its spending)

This skill is a very easy one to master, all it needs a little discipline. Just get a little diary, keep it with at all times and enter each spending transaction into it for a whole month. Do not leave anything out. Every coffee bought while you were out, every bought work lunch, every magazine and every item of clothing. Look at it and see where your funds are really going. Then think what you could have done without. If it was a work-day Starbuck’s Coffee (say $5) – that’s worth $1,000 per year! What you could you do with that? That’s a short resort holiday or you could put it aside for emergencies.

Once you have the months’ spending list, then group the items into categories. You could use Food, Clothing, Transport, Rent/House Payments, Medical and Car Payments etc.

Skill #2. Learn How Much You Really Have to Spend (Business knows what it has available to spend)

This is a little harder – but not much. List out your take-home pay (total income less taxes). Then take off your monthly payments such as house/rent, car, life insurance, credit card and medical insurance. The balance should be what is left to spend.

Skill #3. Learn How to Set Savings Goals (Business sets targets)

Once you have mastered Skills #1 and #2 it’s time to sit down and think about what you really need to save for. Is it the kid’s education? Is it a holiday for the family or yourself? Is it to set some money aside for retirement? Or, is it to replace the car, furniture or washing machine?

Look at your results in Skills #1 and #2. How much do you have left after taking your spending from your income? Is there anything left over? What happens if there was a spending emergency? What would happen if there was a major car repair cost? What happens if your fridge or washer dies? You need to set aside something each month to cover these events.

Skill #4. Learn How to Live Within Your Means (Business cannot spend more than it can repay)

If the results of Skills #1 and #2 shows that you are spending more than your income whose money are you really spending? It is the bank’s or the Credit Card Provider’s money. That money has a cost. It’s the interest. That is one reason you need help now.

There are only two parts to this puzzle. Money in and money out. The trick is to make more or spend less, or a combination of both. Since it is easier to spend more that to earn more, let’s look at some painless ways to spend less.

1. Don’t buy things just because they are on sale – only buy when you really need them.

2. Think twice (or even three times) before spending on frivolous items

3. Think twice before you make that mobile phone call. Is it REALLY necessary?

4. Wait for things to go on sale. Usually there is no immediate need to buy many items.

5. Eat at home more often. 1 meal a week eaten at home, not out, could save you $750 per year.

6. Make your work lunch instead of buying it each day. This could save you up to $2,000 per year!

7. Stay busy – start a hobby, improve yourself by reading at the library – anything to keep you from shopping at the mall.

8. Buy clothes from discount shops rather than large up-market retailers.

9. Let your kids take the bus to school rather than driving them.

10. Try to eat natural foods rather than processed foods. You’ll save money and stay more healthy.

11. Stop smoking. What a waste of money! It costs you money and it can harm your health.

12. Apply as much spare cash as you can to pay down your credit card debt quickly.

Now, how can you increase your cash coming in?

1. Improve you job/career prospects by taking a course, read books to enhance your work skills at the library.

2. Take online surveys. Check them out on the Internet.

3. Learn how to create your own website. Make your hobby pay for itself.

4. Clean out those items you no longer need. Fill up your car trunk and take them to a weekly or monthly market. You’ll be surprised how much people will pay.

Skill #5. Learn How to Develop a “Savings” Mindset (Business only purchases at the best price)

Tell yourself from now on you’re not paying full price again for anything. Not clothes, not furniture, not white goods, not car repairs, not insurances, not phones – not even food. Once you set your mind to it, you will find many ways to make this happen. It only needs the will. These tips will help:

1. When buying expensive items play off one store against another. Ask for the lowest price from one store then get the other one to better it. Do this a few times and you’ll be surprised how much they can really cut the price!

2. Don’t buy clothes at the height of the fashion. Find clothes that mix and match well.

3. Learn a little about how your car works. Don’t just take your car to the repairer and say “fix it”. Try to narrow down the problem yourself first. Get a couple of quotes.

4. Competition is a wonderful thing. There are always providers of services out these that are ready and willing to beat a competitor’s price. This will work for phones (fixed and mobile), insurances, computers, software, car finance and house finance. Make sure the quality is to your standards though.

Skill #6. Learn How to Bargain and not Accept Paying Full Price Again. (Business needs to negotiate prices)

Always ask “What is your best price?” Don’t ask “Is that your best price?” Be ready to tell the salesperson the best price you’ve received from their competition. Then ask the question again, “What is your best price?” Walk away if the price is not to your satisfaction. This is best used on white goods, furniture and vehicle salespeople.

Don’t get too stuck on a specific brand or model. Look at all your options.

You can also look for the type of product you require on Ebay. Check their prices and use them to your advantage.

Skill #7. Learn How to Put Your Own Finance Plan in Place – and Stick to it. (Business needs a plan and commits to it)

Now that you have a few more skills to control money in and money out it’s time to commit to a budget that will meet your savings and spending needs.

Find a budget plan system that satisfies your requirements. (You can find them on the Internet). Make sure the one you choose it lets you set your goals, checks your ability to meet those goals and then tracks your progress monthly towards those goals. Also, make sure it is good value for money. One system that satisfies all these requirements is “5 Steps to Freedom” Personal Budget. You can learn more by clicking on the links below or clicking on the Author’s Profile.

If you learn these skills and put then into practice, you can truly “Laugh at Your Money Worries”.

Bruce Hokin

Ever thought your neck was going to freeze off it was so cold outside ? Well worry no more…this week venture into Threadbanger land and learn how to not only make your very own loom but how to utilize all that scrap fabric you got lying around and make a scarf with it. Thanks to Barbara from Bobbi Clothes for hooking it up. Links in this episode: Bobbi Clothes – bobbiclothes.com

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Tucked away behind pine trees and bushes and shrubs on a cul-de-sac in suburbia of Chicago is my home. The lawns are scalloped and there is a prestige walkway to my front door of my two stories colonial. From the outside you would never suspect the turmoil inside. You see I work full time and also take work home with me so there never seems to be enough time in the day to accomplish a thing. I also have two teenagers so enough said. With my nerves on end recently I had made up my mind not to enter either of their rooms. I had thought to myself they are old enough to be responsible and take care of their own surroundings. Until this time the cleaning and tidying up had fallen on my shoulders. This big idea of mine that they would want to help out had accrued to me about a month before.

Saturday morning arrived and there were activities I needed to get my kids to. They both were still asleep so I first entered my son’s room. I should say just barley entered. His bedroom door would only open an inch. I tried to push my way through as I toppled to the floor. There were clothes, books, dirty dishes amongst other things all over the room that I could not even tell what they were. I woke him up and could feel my blood boiling. Next I went to wake up my daughter and deep inside me I new I would find her room in shambles as well. Needless to say they both did not go to their scheduled activities that day.

They both worked for hours on their rooms but when they were finished they came to me and proclaimed that their rooms left much to be desired. Both rooms had been designed by me when they were younger and they did not feel it expressed who they were. They went on to tell me that their needs and stuff they had acquired over the years had far out grown their rooms. It lacked organization and a place that represented who they were. I listened to them and together we all came up with creative ideas.

This article hopefully will help other families go in the right direction. It should give you the tools and ideas to help make your lives a little more organized and serene. I will begin by laying out the road map that my own family took to reach the goals we set for ourselves.

The most important thing when decorating a teens bedroom walls is to allow the teens input so that the room is a reflection of who they are. Teens live stressful lives just like the rest of us so they need a place to retreat and feel comfortable in. They are still searching for who they are and designing their own bedroom walls provides them an outlet to express themselves creatively.

Teen wall decor decisions will vary depending on the teen in question. There are a number of different ideas for you to explore which will hopefully produce for your teen a room they can enjoy and a look that the parent approves of. Be sure to take in the size of the room, your budget and the practicality of the style. You also need to consider what end of the teenage scale your child is on. Teens taste and sense of self will change considerably between thirteen and eighteen. So be sure to tread lightly with fads and trends that are likely to go out of style. After all you do not want to take on this task again next year.

What we did is we all sat down together with pens and paper. I then asked this question. What are you crazy about and what really gets you excited? I then proceeded to ask them about their hobbies, sports, and a location they love to visit or a topic they want to learn more about. I had them write all these things down. This is the list of ideas they came up with: Dolphins, Birds, Abstract, Flowers, Sports, Space, Fashion, Animals, Music, Numbers, Moon and Sky. I recommended that they choose one idea from the list and making this interest the centerpiece of their room.

We first looked at lots of pictures from books and magazines and spent hours on line at different decorating web sites. We also watched a couple of home decorating shows on television and went to a design center and talked with others to get some ideas. The first thing to realize is not to rush. Take your time since this will be the room that you chill and hang out in.

My daughter decided on fashion as her bedroom theme while my son choice was sports in particular football with the main theme being the Bears. We then gathered in our car and took a drive to the paint store. We browsed through many selections of different colored paint chips until the ones caught their eyes and attention. My daughter picked candy apple green while my son stuck with the Bears colors of navy and orange. All of these being popular colors according to the many hours of research we had tackled.

For one of their walls for each of their rooms we bought a paint that had a faux texture designed that seemed to shimmer and shine. They decided they would keep this wall bare so they could keep adding additional items such as posters from a movie or concert that had seen. In this way they always had space so they had room to grow and develop.

My son had found on line a beautiful hand woven wall tapestry of Soldier Field where the Bears make their home and play their games when in Chicago. He made this the focal point of the room and placed framed artwork of Bears Players all around it. He also hung pennants and his prime passion of an autograph jersey that his favorite player had signed. He is also handy with wood and built shelves along one entire wall. Then with wall paper borders of pictures of footballs went along the edges of the shelves. He was able to use these selves to display his trophies and had space left over for his entertainment system.

Meanwhile fashion was the main theme for my daughter’s room. She had also spent hours on line in search of her perfect design. Like most girls she loves to go shopping and purchase as many shoes and purses imaginable. So I was not at all surprised when I saw her selection for the focal point for her room. It was wall art made up of whimsical purses. It was defiantly cool, hip and certainly prissy. The purses came designed with stripes and swirls of polka dots and matched her candy apple green walls. They had white ribbon and are embellished by a metal snap closure and silver balled feet. This design is definitely unique and personal.

There are three inch letters attached and painted with matching silver. She named her space by hanging each letter of her name over her bed. On the wall opposite the windows she purchased a silver frameless mirror that made the room look double in size. It also came with a pegboard message center and held colorful bins for plenty of storage. We then commissioned a local art teacher from a public school located near our house to hand paint a mural on the wall opposite the display of purses. My daughter is artistically inclined and drew a sketch of abstract designs that the artist successfully copied on to her wall. It truly accomplished the customized look she was going for.

All I can tell you is it has been about a year since we finished making their rooms a place they can call their own. The best part is they have kept their belongings in place and they spend many hours studying, laughing, entertaining their friends and most importantly keeping their rooms neat and tidy. Be patient, creative, listen and if you follow these steps you will also have tranquility in you life.

Barbara Tobiasz

Starch is useful in ironing, but only in limited amounts. Learn about making your own starch and other tips on laundry and clothing care in this free video. Expert: Melody Mooney Bio: Melody Mooney, domestic goddess, is a not just a house cleaner, she is a super house cleaner! She was born in Calgary Alberta, Canada and her first job was as a chamber maid at a travel lodge. Filmmaker: Grady Johnson

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Climate control storage has become extremely popular over the years. Since the 1970s individuals have used self storage companies to store valuable items when room got scarce at home. Storage units are also useful during moves when there might be a short period of time between the closing of a home and the move in date for another home. The only downside to storage units, especially storage units that will be used for a long period of time is that items often deteriorate when exposed to the weather.

Many people who rent storage units do not realize that the temperature in their storage units will be dependent upon the outside weather condition. On summer days when the temperature reaches 90 degrees the average storage facility will end up being 80 degrees at best. During humid weather a storage unit can become stifling and cause extreme damage to items in storage. Many people who have stored valuable clothing, wines, and other items in traditional storage have gotten a rude awakening when they went to retrieve their items from storage. Before throwing your items into a storage unit take the time to find out which of your belongings will benefit from climate controlled storage.

First of all, when you are trying to determine which of your belongings will benefit from climate controlled storage stop and think about the weather condition of the area you live in. There are some people, not many, who might not need to invest in climate controlled storage. First of all, do you live in an area like Louisiana that is known for high levels of humidity? If so, you definitely need to consider climate controlled storage units. High levels of humidity will warp high quality furniture leading to cracking and serious damage. Documents that are stored in humid areas can degrade rapidly losing color and overtime mildew and mold will begin to grow on clothing and furniture that is in storage. Worst, insects breed rapidly in warm, damp areas and your storage facility could quickly become a nest of insects of every kind.

Temperature also plays an important factor in deciding whether or not to invest in climate control storage for your items. If you live in areas that are extremely cold then watch out for condensation that could lead to mildew and mold in damp belongings. Extreme heat is just as bad since this can lead to the permanent damage and destruction of computer disks, DVDs, CDs, and more. Many people who store their collections in extreme heat are shocked and disappointed when they discover that their entire collection has been completely destroyed after a few days in a storage unit subjected to 100 degree heat.

Climate controlled storage units are prefect for a variety of items be they valuable or made of high quality materials. There are some items that belong in climate control that most people would not realize need special care. Mattresses are one item that should be carefully stored in climate controlled storage units. Mattresses can rapidly mold and mildew when left exposed to the elements and with many fine mattresses costing more than $200.00 waste is not recommended.

Good clothing should never be stored in anything less than climate controlled storage units. Fine linens such as silk and velvet are especially vulnerable to deterioration caused by the weather. Heat can lead to discoloration while humidity and cold can cause moisture which will lead to molding and mildewing. Even if mold and mildew do not occur insects will often choose to nest in these fine materials making them dangerous to wear safely.

Musical instruments should never be stored in traditional storage units. Without climate control pianos and violin strings will begin to discolor and will often warp or break. The wood used to create these instruments will also start to warp, crack, and break. Thousands of dollars have been lost or wasted when valuable instruments have been ruined because of extreme weather.

Books and paperwork are also items that should always be stored in climate control storage units. Many people believe that books and documents will store anywhere but this is completely untrue. Without climate control documents will start to discolor making it difficult to read their text and puzzle out their meaning. This can be extremely frustrating when owners of book collections go to look for a favorite volume only to discover it has been ruined.

It is important that individuals looking into storage remember that climate control units are not just needed for fine china, antiques, and leather. Climate control storage is necessary to preserve important paperwork, good clothes, furniture, and really anything you own that is of any value.

Simply Self Storage

diycouture – helping 21st century people to make their own clothes

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Make your own baby bibs! Learn how to cut the fabric pieces for a baby bib in this free sewing video. Expert: Gretchen Soares Contact: www.butterfly-boutique.org Bio: Gretchen Soares is the co-owner of Bufferfly Boutique, which specializes in soft goods such as quilts, clothing and wearable art. Filmmaker: Patrick Eaves

It seems as if everybody else is doing it – shopping online, that is. There’s the co-worker who bought all their Christmas gifts online without ever setting foot in the crowded local mall. Or the friend who won a bundle of like-new, brand-name baby clothes on eBay. Or your son’s college roommate, who paid hundreds of dollars less than your son did for his college textbooks, simply because he ordered them online rather than from the University bookstore.

If you’ve been meaning to learn to shop online – whether at an online retailer like Amazon.com or an auction site such as eBay – it’s time to quit procrastinating, conquer your fear and dive into the waters of cyberspace. You’re not only missing out on good deals, convenience, and worldwide product selection, you’re actually losing money.

1) Good deals: With the growing popularity of price-comparison websites, it’s easier than ever to find a low price on a product you want. I just typed “iPod Nano 8GB MP3 player” into one of these specialized Search Engines, and got 33 results with prices ranging from $229.99 to $292.75 – that’s a $62.76 price difference. The search engine also listed available rebates and factored in shipping costs.

2) Convenience: Not much explanation needed here – you can shop from home at 3 in the morning while wearing your pajamas. You can shop from work during your lunch break. You can shop from the hotel room when you’re stuck overnight in the middle of nowhere. And you don’t have to fight crowds, prowl the parking lot in search of a place to park, or drag screaming kids around.

3) Product Selection: When you shop online, you’re not limited to the stores within driving distance or even the stores you’re familiar with. You can shop just as easily from a home-based artisan as from an exclusive upscale department store like Saks Fifth Avenue.

Odds are, though, that you already know about deals, and convenience, and selection – so why haven’t you started shopping?

Here are two additional reasons that may encourage you to start.

4) Shopping Online is Safer than Shopping Offline: A survey from Paypal UK published in November 2006 found that you’re much more likely to be a victim of physical theft in your home town than to suffer fraud in the digital world.

More than a third of respondents (35%) had been victims of property theft, but only 15% of UK adults surveyed had been victims of online fraud. Similarly, around 71% of Brits know someone who has had their wallet or purse stolen but only 29% know a victim of online fraud.

And despite rumors to the contrary, paying with a credit card at a reputable website is virtually risk-free if you follow commonsense safety precautions. Online merchants know the importance of secure payment systems, and US shoppers are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. (You can dispute charges under this law, and even if your credit card is used fraudulently, you generally would be held liable only for the first $50 in charges.) Other payment processors such as Paypal offer their own fraud protection.

It’s at least as safe to buy online as it is to hand your credit card to the waiter at the restaurant, who whisks it out of your sight for several minutes!

5) NOT Shopping Online Can Cost You Money: Besides the savings to be gained by comparing prices, savvy online shoppers have discovered ways to actually get paid to shop. There’s an entire industry devoted to educating online shoppers how to get cash back for purchases, how to earn money or points for shopping and how to get offers for free and sometimes very valuable products online.

Most of these cash-earning, money-making shopping strategies are cumulative – small rebates or points earned add up over time to hefty bonus checks or free gift cards. (I have a $50 gift card in my purse from Pier One Imports that I got absolutely free, and I’ll send for another $100 gift card as soon as I decide whether to get it from Target or Home Depot.)

There’s no better time than today to educate yourself about shopping online – when you’re not in a hurry, can start small, and don’t need to buy ten gazillion presents by next Sunday.

If everybody else can do it, so can you!

Diana Ratliff

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