Category: Life Hacks

You can’t wait to walk down the aisle and marry the love of your life in a few months.

But that doesn’t mean you necessarily want it to be a church aisle. And that’s okay.

In fact, research shows that just 26% of people had their weddings in religious institutions in 2016.

If you’re not fussed about a church wedding, there are plenty of other options. Here’s a rundown on five great inexpensive wedding venues that you could go for.

Let’s get started!

1. Inexpensive Wedding Venues Include Your City Courthouse

If you’re serious about saving on wedding costs, you can’t go wrong with meeting your bride or groom at the courthouse.

A civil ceremony held at a county clerk’s office or a city hall costs a relatively small fee — typically under $100. In fact, in some areas, they are even free.

Keep in mind that courthouses usually limit attendance to between five and 10 guests, though.

2. A City Block

Have you ever thought about hosting a block party as a way to celebrate your big day?

This isn’t exactly a conventional approach to getting married. But if you and your spouse are known for being outside-of-the-box thinkers, your guests will absolutely love it.

With a special event permit costing a few hundred dollars, you could close off one of a city’s streets and then get married. At your marriage ceremony, you could throw a barbecue or even hire some food trucks.

Note that you might need some extra licenses or permits if you plan to serve alcohol and food.

3. At Your Own Home

If you want your wedding to be as close to free as possible, throwing a low-cost ceremony at your house is a smart idea.

In this situation, the only things you’d have to worry about paying for are decorations — such as floral arrangements — as well as dinnerware, chairs, tables and other items you might not have and can’t borrow from family and friends.

4. At the Beach

One of the most romantic yet inexpensive places to have a wedding is on the beach.

An example of this type of low-cost, scenic venue is the secluded Fisherman’s Cove available through the Long Reef Golf Club in Australia. This is one of the most talked-about wedding venues Sydney residents can enjoy due to its wonderful photo opportunities along beaches, at a lush golf course and in front of rock outcrops.

5. Museums and Libraries

Let’s say that you and your significant other are both book lovers. Or maybe you had your first date at a museum.

Why not have your wedding in a library or a museum? This would allow you to enter your marriage surrounded by artifacts, books, and art.

Both museums and libraries — especially ones that are tinier or are not sought after as much — tend to have relatively smaller price tags.

How We Can Help

In addition to highlighting inexpensive wedding venues, we offer tips and advice about how to be more frugal in a number of other ways.

Take a peek here to find out more about how you can save money and thus enjoy a better quality of life for the long-term.

Pregnancy can be an amazing time, knowing you’re going to bring new life into the world. It can also be a stressful time, especially for working women.

Work can be tough, and pregnancy only makes it harder. Now, there’s a whole other set of challenges to deal with on the job, and knowing how to navigate them is essential.

The question is, what are some of the difficulties of working while pregnant, and how do you manage them. Truth be told, there are a lot of ways, but the rest of this article should help you get started.

Talk to Your Doctor

This one is a bit obvious, but it needs to be said. You can never be too careful during pregnancy. If there’s anything that concerns you, it’s best to talk to a professional. You’ll need to anyway, because you’re going to have a lot of appointments to get to while balancing a full-time job.

Working is no different, and, in fact, may be more beneficial than looking it up. Unlike the internet, your doctor probably has hands.

They can jot notes, make lists, send emails, and make calls. If you need them to, they can condense everything you need to know into a short, memorable format. They can also contact your boss and tell them how to handle the situation.

Dealing with Morning Sickness

Nobody likes morning sickness,but most pregnant women get it. With this in mind, it’s best to be prepared.

Find the things that make you nauseous and avoid them if you can. Some suggest keeping your pregnancy a secret until the end of the first trimester. There are certain advantages to telling people, too.

When it comes to morning sickness, it may actually be better to tell your boss, even if you tell nobody else. It’ll be much easier in the long run to tell them that you’re pregnant than figuring out how to hide it for three months.

At the end of the day, your boss is the one with the authority. They’re the ones capable of making arrangements so you can still do your job while pregnant.

Certain foods can be quite effective at combating morning sickness. Dry crackers are one such food. Ginger ale or ginger tea can also work. You’re going to need to stay hydrated anyway, so you don’t feel exhausted at work.

Rest Often, Sleep Well and Don’t Overexert

When it comes to dealing with exhaustion, try to eat a diet heavy in protein and iron. This helps to combat anemia, which can be a problem during pregnancy.

It’s also best to take frequent breaks and avoid particularly strenuous activity. You also might want to exercise every day, but it’s important not to push yourself. Try lighter activities, like walking, and always ask your doctor before trying anything.

A good night’s sleep is also important. Try to avoid staying up late, and always sleep on your side. Other positions may cause harm or discomfort to you or the baby. You might consider investing in a pregnancy pillow. They’re designed to help with some of the aches and pains of pregnancy. This will help provide comfort so you’re able to sleep better.

Working While Pregnant

Obviously pregnancy, and even working while pregnant, is a complex issue. People have filled entire books on the subject, so we can’t go over everything here. We have done our best to discuss what we can.

At every step of the way, you should talk to your doctor, and you might want to talk to your boss, too. There are also a lot of things you can do to help deal with symptoms. You can eat crackers and drink ginger ale. Also, you should try to get a good amount of sleep and take plenty of breaks on the job.

If you want to know more about how to manage money, please visit our site. If you want to start planning ahead, we can help you find affordable educational toys. Maybe you want to eat healthy without breaking the bank. We can help with that, too.

This quote is simple, but we love it “Improvement begins with I”. Other than being a grammar lesson, this quote reminds us that only we can change ourselves.

But where to start? “I’ll just be a better person” isn’t a plan, it’s a sentence. Find actual ideas you can stick to in our how to better yourself guide below!

How To Better Yourself: The Tips

You don’t need a life coach, tons of money, or hours of free time to complete any of these tips. All you need is some determination, maybe a few phone apps, and a library card.

What are you waiting for? Get started!

Stay Reading

Have you ever heard the saying, “if you don’t use it you lose it”? It’s usually in reference to physical muscles. However, your brain is a muscle too.

Like the rest of your body, it needs a working and reading is the brain’s version of CrossFit. Reading is a simple skill we take for granted, but it takes patience, diligence, and imagination.

If you’re thinking “I’m reading this right now!” you’re not off the hook. When we talk about reading, we mean long-form content with a narrative and complex points.

If you can, always keep a book on you. People used to do this before cell phones and they were never bored. Pick books that teach you how to better yourself and you’ll be a better person page by page.

Learn a New Language

The world is more interconnected than ever and that’s giving people who speak multiple languages more opportunities. Wouldn’t you like to be one of them?

Yes, learning language is a hard skill, but it’s one of the best things you can do to improve yourself. Perhaps even better for your brain than reading, learning a different language grows your brain.

If you commit to this technique how to better yourself, you can expect a better memory and a longer attention span. There are even studies that show people who speak multiple languages live longer (or at least are with it for longer).

When you show yourself that you can improve yourself, it’ll increase your confidence. With easy apps like DuoLingo or Babbel, there’s no excuse not to improve yourself!

Further Your Education

You CAN teach an old dog new tricks, though you shouldn’t refer to yourself as a dog! There is no age limit on learning.

Take it from Amy Craton, who was 94 at the time of her graduation. She went to school in the 60’s but had to stop to support her family through a divorce.

This cool great-grandmother took her education up five decades later and graduated with a 4.0 average. If she doesn’t think it’s too late for self-improvement, neither should you!

Thinking about going back to school or advancing your degree? Start by finding available states with legal studies programs.

To quote this awesome student,”If you’re thinking about going back to school, do it,” she says. “You’ll open up a whole new life.”

Early Bird Is a Better Person

Though this isn’t the official expression, people who get up earlier are more successful and productive. Just ask any self-improvement guru!

There are full movements featuring waking up early. One of our favorites is the Miracle Morning approach by Hal Elrod. He takes 10 minutes 6x in a row (one hour) to get his stuff out of the way.

He journals, does a quick work out, tracks goals, and says his affirmations. You can do these steps for 10 minutes each or as quick as one minute. What’re six minutes out of your day?

Workout

Yes, every self-improvement article there is will mention working out. Moving your body is that important!

You don’t have to chase a carrot on the treadmill though, working out can mean anything that gets your heart pumping. If you have kids, play tag with them!

Set a timer if you’re working up to constant cardio or play freeze tag so you can have breaks in between runs.

If you don’t want to do that, find something that you like to do. That’s the trick to the whole exercise thing. If you like to dance, find a Zumba class and shake your butt and feel silly.

Need an outlet for anger? Find a kickboxing class. Like sports? See if your rec-center has an adult league.

If you view working out as something fun, you’ll be more likely to do it!

Volunteer

Your mom always told you it was better to give than to receive, but who has the time? You do.

Even if it’s one afternoon a week or a month, there’s some organization that could use three hours of free help. If you’re young it’s resume fodder and if you’re grown, it’s money in the karma bank.

Plus (surprise!) it has health benefits. We’re talking mental and physical.

People who volunteer semi-regularly experience

• Less chance of depression
• A sense of purpose and fulfillment
• An increase in self-confidence
• Longer brain-life
• Reduced stress levels
• Dopamine rushes

Do you like to travel? The world-traveler lifestyle can be a tax write off! Look into voluntourism.

On these cross-globe trips, you have a huge range of activity choices. You can help farmers in rural France during the harvest or help marine biologists collect data.

With voluntourism (as long as you have the money to get there) everyone wins!

Start a Journal

Some of us have always been avid journalers, but the way we journal is changing. Traditionalists still prefer good old pen and paper, but keeping a digital journal works too.

You can write anything you want in your journal! Things that make you mad, happy, a play by play of your day – it’s up to you.

Through journaling, you see your weak spots or repetitive things in your life. You pay attention more to patterns or behaviors and teach yourself how to better yourself.

Don’t know where to start? There are plenty of journals that have daily prompts or writing exercises. You can find journal prompts online or find physical copies in the planner section of a bookstore.

We like the bookstore experience best since it allows you to flip through pages and see what you’re buying.

Cancel Meaningless Subscriptions

Subscription boxes are all the rage and it’s fun to get little presents in the mail every so often, but do you really need it? If you’re like us, those things end up accumulating and cluttering up precious space.

We’re not hating on them, it’s nice to have travel sized mascaras for trips, but you don’t need a new one every month!

If you have your payment linked through PayPal, you can go in and see what “Payment agreements” you’re in. Instead of having to remember your login information for random sites you can cancel through PayPal.

Not only will this save you money, but trying this trick makes us feel calmer when looking at our bank statements.

It seems small, but prioritizing your money is why you’re reading this blog, right?

Put the Screens Away

Yes, we said it. You limit your kids’ screen time, so why not your own? Even though your brain isn’t plastic and still-developing, constantly being plugged into devices is harmful.

Without getting into the nitty-gritty (and quite honestly scary) science, too much screen time is reducing your attention span. Depending on how you use it, it can even strain your eyes and give you wrinkles.

How much of a bummer is that?

Sleep experts like Ariana Huffington say to sleep with your phone in another room, but that’s not realistic. Instead, try moving your charger station to your dresser.

Not having your phone within arms reach will reduce the dead-time you look at your phone before falling asleep. At a playdate or waiting for school to get out? Pull that book out of your bag from step one!

Say No to Straws

Don’t have time to volunteer or don’t want to spend the extra money on organic plastic kids toys? You can still make a difference in the environment by saying no to straws.

We’ve been avoiding plastic grocery bags for years, but drinking straws can take just as long to biodegrade. A single, normal restaurant throws away 45,000 straws in one year.

That’s a ton! Plus, it’s adding up in our oceans and on our beaches. Approximately 90% of marine life has ingested plastic of some kind.

Want something to drive this point home? Google “Straw stuck in turtle” for a quick dose of heartbreak.

Now that you’re on board, tell your server you don’t need straws when they take your drink order.

Meditate

If any of the tips on this list are beneficial, meditation’s benefits lap them all. Why else would people still be doing it after thousands of years?

Want to know how to improve yourself through meditation? Get an app like Stop, Breathe, Think (free in app stores). This app and others like it have guided meditations the perfect lengths for beginners.

Say Yes to Self Improvement

Now that you’ve read this article there’s only one thing that determines if you’re going to improve yourself. Actually using one of these tips!

Getting ideas is great, but action speaks louder than words. Pick two things off of this list, something you can do right now and a longer-term option.

Knowing how to better yourself is a skill and we’ve just given you the cliff notes. Go out and be great!

Are you tired of Jack Frost nipping at your nose?

Winter is in full swing which can bring about a whole new set of challenges for moms.

Between the dry air, cold temperatures, and runny noses, winter can be an extra-challenging time to parent. You have to worry about keeping both yourself and your kids warm and healthy.

This list will give you seven ideas on how you can combat winter with ingenious mom items.

1. Travel Tissues

Between your kids running around at school and you going to work and running errands, it’s impossible to think you one of you won’t get sick.

Winter is prime cold and flu season and it’s better to leave your house over prepared than be caught without tissues.

It’s a good idea to keep several packs of tissues in different places. For example, keep one pack in your purse, one pack in your car, and one pack in your kid’s backpack.

This way you will never be without tissues. Make sure you also have a trash bag handy in the car so you don’t leave tissues lying around. Dirty tissues that aren’t disposed of can aide in rapidly spreading germs.

2. Emergen-C Packets

Buying packs of Emergen-C sure beats taking trips to the emergency room when your children get sick due to flu season.

Vitamin C packets help strengthen your immune system and ward off infections.

Emergen-C packets contain 1,000 mg of vitamin C which is considered a “mega dose” and is therefore mega healthy.

3. Winter Boots

This winter, you need boots that are made for walking.

Everyone in your family should have a pair of winter boots that will protect feet from rain, snow, and sleet.

Children love to jump in puddles, which is great until it’s near freezing outside and the water soaks through their shoes. Invest in high-quality winter boots that will withstand the elements.

For example, Gear For Life Merrell boots are classic examples of heavy duty boots built to last. Search for long-lasting boots for yourself and your kids.

Remember when your feet and head are warm, it helps make the rest of the body feel warm as well.

4. Movie and Museum Passes

When winter settles in and it is bitterly cold outside you will need to plan indoor activities for your kids.

You will not want to be cooped up in your house all season, and going to the park is not an option.

Invest in season passes to your local children’s museum. Children’s museums are wonderful places for kids to explore. They often host after-school activities where your kids can do arts and craft projects.

Movie Pass is a new membership that allows you to go see as many movies as you want for just 10 dollars a month. You can buy a movie pass in three, six, and twelve-month increments.

It might be a good idea to buy a three-month movie pass for you and your kids while you ride out the bitter cold of winter. Once spring rolls around, you’ll likely be tired of the movies and ready to spend time outside in the warmer weather.

5. Portable Water Bottles

It’s easy to think that just because it’s cold outside, your body doesn’t need as much water.

This is simply not true. This belief leads tons of people into being chronically dehydrated throughout winter.

Combat this dehydration for you and your kids by investing in reusable water bottles. There are numerous health and beauty benefits to drinking plenty of water including more supple and glowing skin.

During the winter months, your skin usually suffers by drying out. Drinking adequate water can fight this. Make sure you’re using reusable water bottles rather than plastic ones, which can be damaging to the environment.

Reusable water bottles also help to save money and teach your children responsibility.

6. Thermal Underwear

Winter is not the time for being sexy in lingerie.

Winter is the time to invest in thick thermal underwear for your entire family. Winter is the time to cozy up with said family on the couch to stay warm, all in your thermal underwear.

Seriously, thermal underwear may not be glamorous but it will do wonders for keeping you and your little ones warm throughout your day. Thermal underwear is one of the most practical and essential mom items on this list.

7. Bath Essentials

Nothing feels better than a hot bath on a cold day.

Chances are everyone in your family will be waiting in line for the bathtub, so make sure you have all the bath essentials.

Bath items are the most important mom items after all.

A nice bubble bath formula will turn a mundane tub experience into a fun one. Bath bombs also add excitement to bath time and leave your skin feeling amazing. To top it all off, a hydrating face mask will help bring dry skin back to life while you soak.

Be sure to avoid spending too long in the tub. Your skin is already susceptible to drying out due to the lack of humidity in the air. When you get out of the tub, slather your skin in a creamy lotion, focusing on your knees and elbows.

Let Us Know How You Like These Mom Items

We hope this list of mom items has helped you make a winter shopping list.

Mom items this season are all focused on keeping both mom and children warm and cozy. Life can be hard in the winter with the extra layers and darker days.

Snuggling up with your family with a glass of hot chocolate should help get you through the season.

Have questions about this article? Want to let us know your winter mom essentials? Please contact us here.

Your teenager is never too young to take a self defense class. While you may think your teenager doesn’t need to worry about an attacker, there are some pretty grim statistics out there that would argue otherwise.

For example, persons between the ages of 12 and 24 experience the highest rates of violent crime. 

Violence against women proves to be an especially severe problem in the United States. One survey found that 23 percent of college women experience some form of unwanted sexual contact during their college years.

These statistics aren’t meant to encourage you to lock your kids in the house until they’re 30.

Instead, these numbers should encourage you to be proactive about equipping your teenagers with the right tools to protect themselves in violent situations.

And one of the best tools you can equip them with is self defense training.

Let’s take a look at 5 urgent reasons you should book self defense classes for teens.

1. Don’t Question Intuition

Most parents raise their children to be polite and respectful towards others, and especially towards adults.

This is great. However, teenagers need to understand that if they’re in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation, they don’t need to be polite. They should trust their intuition and leave.

Self defense classes for teens teach that it is okay to stand your ground against someone who is making you feel threatened. These classes teach that safety is always the number one priority and that coming off as rude should always be the least of their concerns.

2. Learn Prevention

Many people are under the impression that self defense classes are all about kicking and throwing punches.

However, a big aspect of a self-defense class is prevention. Prevention is the best way to avoid an attacker.

Self defense classes for teens teach the key components of prevention:

• Being aware of surroundings
• Avoiding risky places at night
• Conveying confident body language

3. Goal Isn’t to Fight

Self-defense classes help teach teens that fighting an attacker is always the last resort.

This is a very important lesson to learn, as many teens will not stand a chance against an attacker who is larger than them.

These classes teach teens that their primary goal is to shock or hurt their attacker so they can get away.

It’s very important for teens to know an attacker’s vulnerable spots: the knees, groin, eyes, and neck.

Classes teach teens how to attack these areas using their hands or using a device, such as a self defense keychain. 

4. Mental Toughness

Most teens struggle with self-confidence.

Self defense teaches teenagers how to face the unexpected and break through uncomfortable situations. There’s no doubt that your teen will come out of these classes a more confident person.

5. Never Blame a Victim

If your teenager does experience an attack, it’s not their fault. Victims should never be blamed for an attack.

Self defense classes help teens learn this important concept. They also teach teens what to do if a friend or family member confides in them that they’ve been attacked.

Self Defense Classes For Teens: Wrap Up

We hope this article convinces you of the benefits of self defense classes.

If you have any questions about self defense for teens, please don’t hesitate to drop us a comment.