More Than Just Mistletoe: Preparing for the Holiday Season
The day after Thanksgiving marks the official start of the holiday shopping season, and every year, thousands of shoppers overextend their finances in a few short weeks. Overspending and poor money management has the potential to ruin “the most wonderful time of the year” for many people; but YOU can avoid these problems all together. With an individual commitment and some simple preparation, your holiday season can be “very merry and bright” without the burdens of future debt.
Here are our top three tips for ensuring your financial success this holiday season:
1.) Give Creative and Practical Gifts.
Often times people get so caught up in the frenzy of shopping malls that the simplest, home made gifts get overlooked. Rather than spending the extra money for a gift card for your mail carrier, neighbor or paperboy; try baking cookies. Instead of frantically searching for a sweater for your long-lost aunt or uncle, try taking a classy, family photo and putting it in a frame. Use your skills to judge what is best for your family and friends, knowing that gifts aren’t just measured by dollar values.
2.) Plan Ahead.
Your ability to manage your holiday spending can increase dramatically if you just spend the time to prepare. Participating in Yankee Swaps or gift drawings, and purchasing specific items online are two strategies that can be planned in advance, used to limit your total gift purchases and keep impulse shopping at a minimum.
3.) Build a Separate Budget.
The most effective way to monitor your expenses is by creating your own budget. For the holiday season, it is very easy to list the total number of gift purchases needed, the amount you can afford to spend on each gift, and exactly how much income you have each week or month. With each of these items well documented, you can even determine how many gifts you can afford to buy each pay period, without ever having to worry about debt or credit.
American Consumer Credit Counseling
Attn: Tom Palange
Education Programs Specialist
130 Rumford Ave.
Newton, MA 02466
http://www.consumercredit.com
1-800-769-3571 Ext. 708
Halloween Party Games: Fun for the Family
Have some fun this Halloween with Halloween Party Games. Check out these fun and entertaining activity ideas such as Skull Bowl and Grave Robbing to add a dash of pizzaz to your next Halloween party or gathering. These game ideas can be fun for grownups too! It’s fun for the whole family! Read on for tips.
The Expanding Global Assets Market: Made Easy by The Property Index Online Company
Property Index sell a range of villas and apartments, take a look at their site if you are looking for overseas property investment, click here to view the properties.
Although the Property Index service is a new kid on the block firm, (they were set up in March 2007), they have proven their mettle very quickly. On closer look, they’re a quite hassle-free firm and focus on advising everyone determined to let, sell etc. real estate across the globe. Their promise: to assist you light on just what’s required swiftly and, likewise, sans pain. Real estate is available everwhere these days, one of the swankiest areas being properties for sale in Dubai. It should be easy as one-two-three to tick off the terrific real estate available in Dubai, one motive for wanting property here being estate on the market and the chance of being able to live right amid such a vibrant populace.
This is one of the most favored regions these days, and considering the gorgeous landscape and great sunshine surrounding you all the time, how could you conceivably go wrong. Real estate in Dubai is very rich in history and culture, this area of the world has long been home to several sophisticated cultures. Just 25 or 30 years ago there was merely a tiny number of Englishmen looking for real estate in Dubai. Ask everyone who has emigrated to Dubai and they’ll tell you the same. There are those who would look upon it as a negligible craze and others look upon it as a as something approaching a compulsion! Patrons that will transfer to this region will typically range from young well to do couples keen on a life perspective to retired customers looking to settle down.
Note that there may be bugbears when attempting to buy real estate in a foreign country – as can be expected, there are 100s of varied, often conflicting, actions be it when planning, touring or buying and completing. If you miss out on one minor procedure it is sure to provoke sweeping bugbears as well as, preeminently, financial loss. Naturally, as is to be counted on with this trendy destination, real estate might be high priced in this location which is, of course, plainly because of the great market pressure. This notwithstanding, the client patently is spoilt for choice in such a part of the world characterized by fair landscape and surroundings. It has the whole thing anyone may need, and plenty more.
How to Host Thankgiving Dinner and Enjoy it Anyway
You’ve been nominated; or perhaps your family has issued a decree; or perhaps it’s simply your turn. No matter what the reason, you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. This need not be a burden. In fact is can be a pleasure, given the right planning and organization.
I’ve found that the key to an almost effortless-looking dinner is thinking backward. Start your Thanksgiving planning by visualizing yourself, surrounded by family and friends at the dinner table, then work backward to determine how you got there. Ask yourself which foods took the least amount of preparation, which took the most. Write these things down in a list.
Now refine the list-but only slightly. Which dishes can be prepared the day (or evening) before? Which dishes need to be prepared that day? Which dishes need to be prepared within an hour of dinner?
At this point, you should have at least a vague idea of your plan of attack. So now it’s time to refine the list further. In fact, it’s time to begin to create a schedule. If you expect to serve dinner at 2:00 p.m., for example, and the turkey will take three hours to roast, then half hour to rest before carving, it needs to be in the oven at 10:15 a.m.
Why 10:15, and not 10:30? My start time factors in the three and one half hours, plus approximately fifteen minutes to get the bird carved and arranged on a serving platter after it has rested. And don’t forget that it will take approximately fifteen minutes to pre-heat your oven too. Your schedule should reflect all of those variables.
By now, your list-or maybe lists-has grown substantially, as you refine the necessary tasks to get to that wonderful image of yourself sitting among family and friends at the dinner table. The next step in the process is to begin to identify the tasks involved in preparing the ingredients for the dishes that will make up your Thanksgiving menu; the prep work.
It’s lovely to watch the chefs on Food TV blithely talking about adding a cup of chopped onions to a sauté pan-as they grab a cup of chopped onions that’s been placed within easy reach on their counter. Of course, they have the benefit of having four sous chefs backstage who keep them supplied with the chopped, minced, pureed, or marinated ingredients they’ll need to create a smooth-running half hour television show. You can do the same. (although you can’t count on having the four sous chefs backstage).
As part of your master schedule, allow plenty of time for prep work. This will guarantee smooth cooking when the time comes. You do not want to be hunting for a clove of garlic in a refrigerator stuffed with food for twenty, while you have a pan of hot oil on the stove waiting for you.
This is also the time to think about how many of the recipes on your menu will require the same ingredients. If for example, you have two dishes on your menu that each require a cup of onions, be sure to chop two cups of onions, and have them on hand, pre-measured and ready to go when the time comes to cook.
Think about which ingredients could be prepped, perhaps the night before too. Carrots, celery, and onion, for example, can be chopped within twenty four hours of the meal, and stored, pre-measured, in zip-lock plastic bags in the refrigerator. This step alone could save up to a half hour on Thanksgiving Day. Try to think of other ingredients that could be prepped early as well.
Another activity that should be part of your to-do list before Thanksgiving is checking to see that your oven is properly calibrated. If you don’t already own one, get an inexpensive oven thermometer and test to see that the temperature that you set on your thermostat is indeed the same one recorded on your thermometer.
In addition, it would be wise-again, if you don’t already have one-to get an instant read meat thermometer. Knowing that you’ve cooked your turkey to an internal temperature of 165 F. will give you a great deal of confidence, and allow you to focus on the myriad last-minute details of getting the meal on the dining room table.
One last thought about prep work that will help the entire Thanksgiving experience flow more smoothly: give yourself a break when you’ve finished chopping vegetables, measuring ingredients, and generally assuring yourself that you have the situation in hand. Relax; perhaps have a cup of coffee before you begin the actual cooking. This break serves two purposes: it gives you a chance to reflect on your work so far, and to reassure yourself that you are indeed prepared for the next step. And it helps you to mentally shift gears and move from the role of prep cook to the role of chef.
Of course, at some time before Thanksgiving, you’ll need to shop for ingredients. I’ve not spoken about shopping, because I feel that there are too many variables to be able to talk about it in full generality. Issues like your menu, proximity to a mega store or a specialized deli perhaps, your work schedule, etc. make it difficult to talk about in universal terms. Suffice it to say that if you’ve set a menu and created a schedule, they will tell you what you need, and when.
So now that you have your menu, done your shopping and prep work, what to do on Thanksgiving morning? First: trust no one. People are rarely more giving of themselves than at Thanksgiving, so offers of assistance in the kitchen may be profuse and generous. Be wary. You may delegate a close friend or relative to keep an eye on the creamed spinach, but don’t be surprised if the Macy’s parade, or the NFL game draws your well-meaning helper away from the stove before the spinach is done.
It’s okay. You’ve factored that into your schedule, and you can pick up the slack. When I say that you shouldn’t trust anyone, I mean that-as I’ve written elsewhere-90% of cooking is being there. And Thanksgiving is a tough time to be standing at the stove for anyone, let alone one of your guests.
Finally, at times like Thanksgiving, I’m reminded of a piece of advice I once got from a doctor friend: In case of an emergency, the first thing to do is take your own pulse. This is to say that things may not go entirely as planned. But don’t panic. Trustworthy or not, you will have help available. An emergency in the kitchen is guaranteed to draw the most hardened NFL fan away from the game to lend a hand. Just stick to your schedule, as best you can, and everything will be fine.
Take the time to plan your Thanksgiving meal thoroughly, and well ahead of time, and you’ll reap huge rewards at the dinner table in the form of compliments, possibly applause, and happy, thankful diners. And as you dry the last of the pots and pans that served so well in preparing your feast, you can enjoy the satisfaction that comes from a job well done, and the knowledge that next year, it will be someone else’s turn.
Skip Lombardi is the author of two cookbooks: “La Cucina dei Poveri: Recipes from my Sicilian Grandparents,” and “Almost Italian: Recipes from America’s Little Italys.” He has been a Broadway musician, high-school math teacher, software engineer, and a fledgeling blogger. But he has never let any of those pursuits get in the way of his passion for cooking and eating. Visit his Web site to learn more about his cookbooks. http://www.skiplombardi.com For comments or questions, e-mail at info@skiplombardi.com
Top 10 Holiday Gifts
Here are the top selling holiday items according to MSN Shopping.
Couch Signature Gallery Pouch
This handbag from Coach is proving to be very popular this holiday season. This short-strap classic style handbag has a zip closure and inside open pocket. It has jacquard fabric with leather trim, is fabric lined, and comes in black, khaki, and red.
Diamond Bracelet Sterling Silver by Ashford
This piece proves you can never go wrong with diamonds. It has S-shaped links and diamond accents. Silver is a good addition to most styles of clothing and accessories.
iPod nano 2 GB MP3 Player by Apple
Unless you have been under a rock lately, you are familiar with the iPod family. This version is in between the small type and full-size iPod, but still holds 500 songs and is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
Satin Drapeneck Dress by S.L. Fashions
This is a gorgeous polyester satin pull-over dress which is available in black, almond, and jade. For any special occasion, it will wow whoever sees you. You can not go wrong with such classic beauty. Its stunning sleeveless design and drapeneck provides a sexy but sophisticated look.
Step 2 Ride-On Motorcycle
A great buy for your toddler, the Step 2 Ride-On Motorcycle will provide hours of amusement for your child, as well as you watching them play. Made of durable plastic, it has wide wheels for stability and easy grip handles.
Snack Attack by RedEnvelope
Food! This assortment includes sweet and salty goodies for all of those Christmas or Hanukkah munchies. With berry-nut mixes, caramel corn, gummy bears and much more, there is something for everyone.
Sony Playstation Portable (PSP)
The ultimate in gaming, this portable device allows for games, movies, playing music, and displaying photos. The great thing is that you have all of that at your fingertips.
Tealight Fountain by Innovage
This beautiful desktop fountain is perfect for the candle enthusiast. With a marble type finish, this piece holds three tealight candles and is calm and relaxing. It is also cordless, so you can set it anywhere.
4 Carat Trillian Cut Green Amethyst & Diamond 14k White Gold Ring by Ice.com
This is a truly breathtaking ring. With a large green amethyst stone, surrounded by diamond accents set in beautiful white gold, you are certain to get a smile out of this gift.
Salim Jordan is Editor and Publisher of MoreThanlinks.com. Bringing you the best informed content on the web. Every part of your life is here, from business to entertainment, technology to relationships, travel, shopping, money, health — and all points in between. Visit www.morethanlinks.com
Find out What VoIP Really Means
Debating whether to get into Internet telephony? Do you have trouble making head nor tail of all the restructure telecoms forever. Internet telephony digitises the sound of a human voice so that you can avoid telephone wires altogether. You can now make VoIP calls that cost a fraction of calls made through the traditional phone line. It is revolutionizing the way that people talk to each other.
However, as frequently arises with new technologies, it is sometimes hard to make sense of what all the new terms and jargon involved mean. As an answer to this this article will try and explain the technical {|Custom|terms, jargon that you will encounter. So let’s get started on {|Custom|deciphering some of the jargon!
? Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL): This is a data communications technology that allows high speed Internet to be delivered over the telephone network
? Broadband: This is a generic term for high speed Internet over cable or ADSL
? Ethernet: This is the standard that is used for most office networks as well as the networking system that is often found in PCs and routers
? Router: This is networking hardware device that “steers” data across a network or across the Internet. A router is needed to share an Internet connection between multiple devices
? Switch: A piece of equipment that a phone company can use to connect calls between subscribers It is also used by businesses to connect their internal extensions as well as outside lines which are also known as private branch exchange (PBX)
We hope by explaining and simplifying some of the jargon that surrounds the VoIP services this article should help clarify what VoIP is about and the elements that are involved. find the service that is right for you. Join the VoIP revolution and start enjoying a cheap calls and other cool services!
Discover Income Drawdown – Independent Financial Information
When you get to the retirement years you do not have to pull out your pension immediately. Instead, you could come to a decision to delay acquiring an annuity until the ripe old age of seventy-five years old & if you do so you could discover you get a superior deal. It’s referred to as income draw down.
When you are aged between fifty & seventy five years old you are free to suspend the control of your retirement allowance from your insurance company. Instead, you are able to pull out as much as one-hundred and twenty percent of the pension fund that could have been procured by means of the Government Actuary rates, and leave the remaining capital invested until you require it. On your side, all you have to do is to make certain that you purchase an annuity by the instance you get to seventy five.
Significantly, what would take place if you wished to take the income drawdown option, & then died? If this did come to pass then your current companion or dependant(s) would then get three choices: agree to a lump sum, after tax at thirty-five percent, or instead maintain with income extraction, or purchasing an annuity with the resources. Your present wife or husband has until they reach sixty years old to put-off the attainment of a pension annuity, although no financial benefits are allowed to be given in the meantime.
Why get income draw down? Well first & foremost because it might end in you earning a more lucrative salary from your pension by doing so. Secondly, you are able to decide precisely when you want to buy the pension annuity, so if you retire at a moment in time when the annuity rates are very low, waiting may well be a more intelligent decision. If the residual funds increase as expected, then jointly with the truth that annuity rates increase with age, you may ultimately be able to procure a bigger pension than you possibly would have procured earlier.
Besides, it also means that when you die your wife or husband or dependants are secured economically, since they are officially entitled to the remaining assets, as stated before.
There are perils as a result though. If investment performance on the remaining stocks & shares is poor, then the extent of income payable may plummet. And it’s crucial to keep in mind that there’s no reassurance that the pension acquired will ultimately be more than the overall figure that could have been bought at the outset. Click here to visit the First Place Financial website, – The Independent Financial Adviser & Mortgage Broker.