5 Ways to Save on Gym Memberships and Workouts

Ready to fulfill those New Years Eve Resolutions for a healthier body and a more active lifestyle? Gym memberships are a great way to make a regular commitment with professional equipment and classes that are sure to keep you on track. Here are five ways to save money on a gym membership. 1. Negotiate the Gym Fee When you are considering making a commitment to a gym membership then it is time to speak up. Tell them that you are thinking about joining but want to save some money. The health club may go ahead and waive the sign up … Continue reading

Ways to Save on Holiday Scrapbooking

Don’t blow your budget buying every seasonal scrapbooking embellishment you lay your eyes on. While the fantastically festive items are tempting to purchase, you can find slews of holiday-themed scrapbooking supplies for practically nothing if you simply take the time to surf the World Wide Web. For example, several websites offer free Christmas fonts for use on holiday layouts. Check out Fonts and Things, The Holiday Spot, Font River, Font Space and 1001 Free Fonts, and then use them to design your own customized Christmas scrapbook paper. You can either repeat a saying or quote in the font of your … Continue reading

Scrapping Christmas Past

If my mother had her way digital scrapbooking would be something you’d only see in the movies or on TV like… Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Needless to say, my mom has not exactly embraced advances in the world of scrapbooking, especially if they involve technology. She is old school all the way. Really old school; as in early 1900’s old school. My mom is a huge fan of vintage scrapbooking. In fact, she is currently working on a Christmas-themed heritage album. Whereas she is not filling the pages with photos of my great-great grandparents, she is using a … Continue reading

Why Isn’t My Budget Working?

There are so many people that sit down at the beginning of each month and write out a budget. Then they go on about their lives and wonder why they run out of money mid-month. This can be very frustrating for many people. They think that because they have written everything down that it should work. The problem is that they haven’t committed to living the budget. Here are the five things you can do to commit to living the budget. 1) When you finish the budget you should sign it. This may seem silly, but it symbolizes your commit … Continue reading

Mid-month Budget Crisis!

When you first start a budget, you may end up overspending in some areas. If you have an accident, lose your job or another catastrophe, then you may find out that there is no way that you are going to make your budget for the month. You really have three options available to you. The first is to not spend any money at all, since you have overspent for the month. You can make do with the groceries in your house, and stay home since you do not have any money to buy gas. You may just be hoping that … Continue reading

New Year’s Resolutions: Is Your New Budget Working?

It is nearing the end of the month. If you started the new year off with a new budget, then this should be the second month on your budget. The first month is really when you work out the kinks, and figure out where you need to adjust the numbers to make a realistic budget. The second month is the one where you get to see if you really can stick to a budget. So did it work for you? Did you have any other problem areas? You could consider using cash in those areas. It is important that if … Continue reading

Home Design Trends—Where Do We Go From Here?

There’s nothing like starting your new year out with a home-improvement look that’s on it’s way out. I’ve spent the last week or so discussing decorating trends. I was inspired by a friend who recently created an interior masterpiece (and she doesn’t complain when I come over and drool on her newly tiled floors). My friend is not the only one jumping on the remodeling bandwagon. According to research conducted by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, in the past decade, almost 30 million homes have been “significantly upgraded.” The study revealed that the fastest-growing segment of the market … Continue reading

Where Do You See Your Marriage in the New Year?

Is your marriage growing stronger and better with each year that passes, or are you still finding marriage to be a struggle? Sometimes, both apply at the same time. We grow closer and more mature, but life still throws some daunting challenges our way. It is however, much less stressful to work through challenges when you and your spouse are committed to each other and to your marriage. Do you have plans for New Year’s Eve and for the months to follow? Do you have goals and dreams as a couple or have you made New Year’s resolutions together? One … Continue reading