How to Plan the Wedding of Your Dreams on a Tight Budget

You always see the hundred-thousand dollar weddings on TV, you know the ones where the parents and bride and groom are all made of money. They make it look easy to just hand someone 50k to go make magic happen. Realistically, 8 out of 10 viewers watching these shows are probably just wishing and hoping that the money fairy is going to deliver them enough money to have a celebrity wedding of their own.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as the money fairy, and I know this will be quite the let down for some of you. However, before you grab your tissue box and start falling into your daily re-occurring nightmare of having your dream wedding at the local McDonalds, start thinking more about how you can make your dreams come true with the power, money and creativity you already have.

We all know the necessities of the perfect wedding; Location, Flowers, Food, Invitations, Favors, Cake, Music, Photographer and the Dress. There are some easy ways of getting everything you need for as little as you want.


Here are 5 easy steps to planning your low budget dream wedding:

1. Don't Settle, Negotiate! - You have your eye on this cute little reception hall in the next town over, but their prices are sky high and way out of your budget. Everyone is trying to either make money or save money, and you can either be an easy sale (what you see on TV), you can make it a challenge. Most reception halls, disc jockeys, bands, florists and photographers are willing to bargain. The most important place to try this method is the reception hall, the most expensive part of your wedding. Most reception halls will start by handing you their menu with a list of wedding packages. Wedding packages can be quite a deal, except for the price. Here's the trick; if you like wedding package "A", which includes, invitations, disc jockey, videographer, cake, bottles of wine (per table), hor dourves, appetizers, and a chicken dinner, think about what you don’t need. You have plans to make your own invitations or you have a friend or family member who is a disc jockey and another who’s a videographer. You can actually negotiate a rebate on those items that you wouldn't be using in that package. Make the package your own and customize it to your needs, not theirs. By doing this, you can cut out thousands!

2. Be Creative - Start with creating your own invitations. Make them custom to you and your spouse to be. You can create your own invitations online, and bring them to a print shop for a quarter of the price of ordering them from that fancy invitation shop down the street. Once you've mastered your creative skills on your invitations, move onto the next project of designing the wedding favors. Go to your local arts & crafts store and put together a favor that's going to go with your wedding theme. While you’re on the creative track, create your own centerpieces, wedding programs, card box, and guest sign in book. After you've down all these fun tasks, you've saved yourself probably a couple thousand dollars.

3. The Dress - Not too many brides are willing to make sacrifices when it comes to "The Dress." However, waiting for a sale, or even negotiating a discount for having your bride's maids purchase their dresses at the same store can help big time. You'll want to skip getting your dress tailored at the large bridal gown store, the prices will sure to be twice as much as the small family tailor shop down the street.

4. Dig Up Some Old Friends - Remember that friend you had back in high school, the one who had dreams of being a disc jockey, or a photographer? There's a good chance their still trying to get their big break, so why not see if they're interested in helping you out for a couple of hundred dollars. Finding a past friend, rather than a money hungry stranger could save you quite the wad of cash.

5. Improvise - You had your heart set on those orchids you saw in the window of your local florist shop. You can actually envision yourself walking down the aisle surrounded by millions of flowers. Well, sorry to say, but if you hire a local florist to make this dream come true, you can throw your budget right out the window! Go to your local farm stand, or any where you can buy independent flowers. Gather some friends the day before your wedding, buy the flowers of your dreams and wrap them with a ribbon. Place them in a refrigerator overnight, and you're dream display of flowers will be waiting for you in the morning. This will save you almost half of the cost that a florist will charge to do the same thing you and your friends could have a blast doing.

Anything is possible when you put your heart into it. We all know brides can have that secret aggressive personality waiting to come out at times like these, so use it to get what you want for the price you deserve, and you'll be sure to have the wedding you've always dreamed of.

How to get your finances in check

Whether you’re suffering with unemployment due to the economy or you’re just really bad with keeping up on bills, organization can really be your key to successfully managing your finances, and getting your life back on track. Slacking on bills or paying off debt can destroy your credit and your well being. Believe it or not, “a survey, by the National Depression Campaign, found that financial problems were cited by 88% of people as a trigger for their depression.” (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/324900.stm)

Men and Women have been suffering with money problems since the beginning of time. Thankfully, living in a time where technology is at your finger tips; keeping a realistic budget handy on your computer or your PDA can really help your finances. Surely there must have been countless time’s where you’ve said to yourself “I completely forgot I had to pay this bill this month,” or “I didn’t realize I owed this much this month,” or even “I had no idea when this was due.” With the amount of bills the average person has, there is no way to mentally keep track of your finances and/or debt that way. This isn’t even mentioning the thought of even being able to put any money in your savings account.

Here are a few tips to help you get your finances, debt and even savings heading in the right direction.

Step 1: Create a new spreadsheet – it’s a great place to put text and numbers that will also allow the advanced user to take advantage of financial formulas.

Step 2: List all re-occurring bills in one column, put the total amount owed in another column, and the current month’s payment in the 3^rd column.

Step 3: Copy this worksheet and make another 11 worksheets, so you’ll have one worksheet per month. This way, you can list any specific payments that may be pertinent to one particular month.

Step 4: Figure out how much money you’ll need in groceries, gas and spending money per week, and place that under the listed bills.

Step 5: Now you have a list of everything you are going to need to pay every month. Take your monthly income and subtract all of your bills, groceries, gas and spending money. The amount of money you are left with after that will be considered your savings for the month, and can get carried over to the next month.

If you can keep to this simple budget and not spend a dime over what you had budgeted for at the beginning of the month, not only will you have a road map for paying off debt, but you will also be able to forecast how much money you’ll be able to save over a month’s period of time.

This system can really relieve the money stresses that you have, and help you to not be afraid of the unknown anymore. You will know what to expect every month, and you will see your bank account continue to climb and remain in a constant healthy state. Good Luck!

Where to See the Best Foliage in New England This Fall

Fall is the most beautiful time of year in New England. There aren't too many places where you can view the natural vibrant colors growing from the earth, or where you can look up at a tree and have the beauty take your breath away. From the months of late September to the Middle of November, the sun is out, the air is crisp, the leaves have hues of a fire, and the taste of fresh apple crisp is never far from anyone's mind.

Whether you're from the New England area or are planning a trip up to the northern states, you'll want to make sure you catch all the hotspots for the most beautiful foliage sightings around.

1. Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent, CT offers plenty of foliage viewing opportunities. At this state park, you can hike to the top of Cobble Mountain, and have a bird’s eye view of the explosion of colors bursting from the trees.

2. Kancamangus Highway, Lincoln to Conway, NH is one of the best places for foliage peeping. Driving up the curvy roads of this highway through the White Mountains, will guarantee you top notch sightings for some of the best foliage in New England. The highway has many scenic rest areas for those who want to those who want to capture the views on camera.

3. Champlain Lowlands, VT will suite those who enjoy covered bridges, cute little villages, rivers and rolling farmlands. Visiting the Champlain Lowlands could be a great day trip or a weekend trip. There is definitely enough sightseeing in this area to keep you busy for days!

4. Walden Pond, Concord, MA is a great place to get some history with a side of beautiful foliage. Concord, MA is one of the most historical towns in New England. Walden Pond is just a 35 minute car trip from Boston.

5. Freeport, ME not only has great shopping including L.L. Bean and many other big named factory outlets, but they are also popular for their beautiful bed & breakfast Inn's, as well as many scenic hotspots where you can't tell the difference between the glare the sun and the changing leaves.

If you happen to get your fill of these hot spots, there are many other breath taking areas throughout New England. If you’re looking for a fall get away, New England is the place to go. The foliage is short lived, but the sights will be in your memory all year round.

Prayers of Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur starts at the sun down on the 10th day of Tishri on the Hebrew calendar, which this year lands on January 27th, 2009 and will end on January 28th at sunset.

“The name Yom Kippur means "Day of Atonement” and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year. In Days of Awe, I mentioned the "books" in which G-d inscribes all of our names. On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends." (www.jewfaq.org)

With Yom Kippur being the most important of all Jewish holidays, it is important to know these prayers that spoken on this day.

Here are the 5 main prayers that should be recited on Yom Kippur:

1. Kol Nidre - This prayer is sung on the eve of Yom Kippur. It is the first prayer of Yom Kippur. It is a prayer to ask for forgiveness for all of the unfulfilled promises of the past year. This prayer is sung 3 times in a row.

2. The Shema - Which means “We Believe in G-D.” The second line “Blessed is the Name of His Glorious Kingdom forever and ever” is usually said softly. On Yom Kippur, this line is said aloud. The reason for this is that the second line is not in the Torah, while the first line is. The second line was said to have been spoken by the angels to Moshe on Mt. Sinai. Special for Yom Kippur, we strive to elevate our lives higher by fasting and repentant prayer, so we speak the line out loud." (www.life123.com)

3. Avinu Malkeinu -This prayer is used to plea to G-d for forgiveness for the year's sins.

4. Viduy - This prayer is made up of 2 different prayers, Al Cheit and Ashamnu. "Al Cheit asks forgiveness for many wrongdoings, and is listed in categories. Many people give their chest a little thump for each, reminding us that our hearts can guide us to do better." (www.life123.com)

5. Neilah - This is the last of the prayers spoken on Yom Kippur, it is said as plea of all of the prayers to have been accepted and everyone is then forgiven. At the end of their prayer, the shofar (a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes -www.wikipedia.com) is sounded loudly and everyone cheers and wishes each other a good year by saying "“L’Shanah Tovah.”

Breaking the fast is one of the most special times when a family can get together and start their New Year fresh on a clean slate, with no sins. Jews celebrate this time by enjoying a large feast and lots of happiness!

Are Senior Citizens The Highest Cause for Auto Accidents?

It seems lately that all you see on the news is a story of another senior citizen being involved in an automobile incident. This seems to be a very controversial subject due to the different demographics being questioned on this matter. Most people under the age of 50 will probably agree that senior citizens should be re-tested for their license, which would involve some type of road test. However, people over the age of 50 might have a different point of view on the matter. A lot of senior citizens who may be perfect drivers are terrified of losing their licenses due to those who are driving and probably shouldn't be.

Are senior citizens the only ones to blame, or are they just being pin pointed on the news?

There are a lot of people at fault for automobile accidents, road rage, DUI's, hitting pedestrians, and driving through structures. I actually believe that instead of focusing so much on a certain age for senior citizens to be re-tested for their license, that everyone should be tested at least every 10 years. Who's to say a person that was 16 years old when they received their driver’s license 10 years ago, hasn't developed a driving impairment in the past few years? This person may have worse eye sight then any 60 year old, and could ultimately be the cause of a serious accident for not taking the proper precautions in making themselves a safe driver. On the same lines, having more and more drivers taking the risk of that midnight drive home after having a few drinks isn’t any better than the accidents senior citizens having been causing.

According to statistics in the US, there have been "12,998 drunk drivers in automobile accidents in one year" (www.marylandaccidentlawblog.com), and in the same period of time "there were 7,269 people 65 years and older that died in a car accident collision. Half of those crashes were between intersections that resulted in a fatality involved elderly drivers with an age greater than 80." (www.caraccidentattorneys.com). Therefore, there are more drunk driver-related accidents then senior citizen related accidents. The focus of elderly drivers is warranted, but seeing as the there is a larger number of accidents caused from drunk drivers; reports should be giving an overall view of what's really going on. We should be focusing on putting a stop to all aspects of caused accidents.

With the everyday changes of life and the fact that one person's reaction time, driving skill and ability to think as quickly as the day before ,will change often, we should all be tested every 10 years or so. Being tested often will ensure that we are up to par on our driving skills. Who's to say we aren't just as much a threat as those who are being blamed?

In order to lower the accident rate in the US, law enforcers should be taking more notice on those who are running red lights, failure to stop at stop signs or crosswalks, tailgating, and not merging into traffic. These are the top causes of accidents along with driving under the influence. If the law enforcement came down more strictly on these faulty areas, people might get the hint and start driving by the rules. Until this happens, people will continue to drive with the thought that it is their right rather than a privilege.

Top Female Shoe Trends For This Fall Season

If you're always looking to make a fashion statement when you leave the house, the fall can be the best time to do this. The weather is perfect for open toe, closed toe, tall boots, short boots, or even moccasins. You can pretty much get away with all styles during this one season.

Whether you're going back to school or just freshening up your look to embrace the change of season, no outfit is complete without a complimentary pair of shoes.

To make sure you make your fashion statement a good one, here is a compiled list of this fall's 5 hottest shoe and boot trends.


1. Slouch Boot - The Slouch Boot is a tall boot that can reach nearly up to your knee. You can find this type of boot in leather, or suede styles as well as a high heel or even no heel. The material has a scrunched looked and adds some width to the boot which can actually create a slimming effect on the legs.

2. Ankle Bootie - The Ankle Bootie is making another round of appearance this season with some new twists on the trend. You can find Ankle Booties that come in a variety of different materials, colors, heel size and with an open or closed toe look. These boots are great with any jean style and can really compliment any outfit.

3. Sequins Pumps - Add some shine to your look by adding some sequins to your shoes. This season's sequins are last year's patent leather, more shine and fewer scuffs!

4. Moccasins - For those who are on the run all day, Moccasins could be your best friend. It's not often when a comfortable shoe makes it on the top 5 trend list, but this season it does. Enjoy the comfort with a fashionable new pair of suede or leather moccasins.

5. Lace Up Boots - Any utility worker who wears lace up boots might be happy to know that they are wearing one of this season’s top most trendy boots. A nice tall pair of lace up boots with a little grunge twist will be sure to add some character to your walk.

Great stores to find some of these trends would be: Macy’s, JCPenny, Nordstroms, Steve Madden, Aldo Shoes, DSW & Famous Footware.

Make sure this season your feet aren't causing a fashion faux pas!

5 Realistic Stress Relieving Tips to Help You Forget About Your Work Day

Relaxation Can Be the Key to Happiness

Culprits of stress can be found in many areas of your life. Not too many people make it through a day without running into either anxiety, threats, uncertainty, fear or demands. Working every day, even in your dream job can stress you out. However, working in a job that you don't enjoy can ultimately lead to serious stress disorders.

Thankfully, stress isn't an incurable disorder. Ditching the unwanted anxiety can actually be a very easy routine for you at the end of a long nine to five.

A lot of us have more stress waiting for us upon pulling into your driveway, whether it's your beautiful children waiting to greet you at the door, your spouse waiting to eagerly talk about your day, or your pet just waiting for some TLC after sitting alone for 8 hours. Therefore, coming home to a warm bath surrounded by aromatherapy candles and the sound of ocean waves, realistically just won't be there. Here in 2009, for the person who never stops working until they hit the pillow, needs ways to relieve stress, even if you can't sit still long enough to take a deep breath and count to ten.

Here are 5 great realistic tips on kicking stress right out of your life:

1. Favorite Music - If you're a busy person, the stress relieving techniques should start as soon as your end of the day commute begins. Once you are in your car or the train, music is a must. Create a playlist that will sure to hit the spot at the end of the day. Everyone has a few of their favorite songs that can just lift your mood no matter what the case may be. This will be the "feel good" technique, a sure way to get the stress moving out of your system.

2. Walking - Even if your beautiful children, loving spouse or pet are waiting for you at home, a walk can always work. It's ok if they want to join you on the walk. Getting your blood moving, fresh air into your lungs and the humming of the birds instead of rowdy co-workers will be a sure way to melt away parts of your day, you wish to forget.

3. Food - Believe it or not, some foods can actually assist in your stress relieving rituals. "Asparagus, Beef, Milk, Cottage Cheese, Fruit, Almonds, Blueberries, Tuna and Cornflakes are all foods that can actually diminish stress. These foods are good for inducing more energy which
deflates stress (Better Homes and Gardens Online Magazine)."

4. Daydreaming - This one may have to wait until the little ones are in bed, your spouse is pre-occupied, and your pet has been given his/her daily need of TLC. Go to the most comfortable place in your home, whether that's your sofa, bath tub, or bed and bring some relaxing music. Think about your most realistic dream and what you can do to accomplish this dream, and how wonderful it will be when you do make your dreams come true. While thinking about exciting things in your future, happiness will follow. Happiness releases endorphins and motivation which will override stress and anxiety, as well as make you into a stronger person.

5. Bed time story - Reading a favorite magazine, newspaper or book before counting sheep will clear your racing mind from going over the day's happenings. Going to bed with a full mind, will just make you wake up with the same full mind, and force you to add another day's worth of stress on top of your last. It can be an awful cycle to continue. Therefore, filling your mind with something that doesn't involve your life, will surely give you that good night of sleep you always hope for.

Hopefully these easy 5 stress relieving tips will help you live a more relaxing life, after work.

test

a pie must be there on the second tuesday of the chinese new year