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Cutting Grocery Costs without Cutting Nutrition
Simple, healthy, and affordable ways to weather the rising price of food
by Karen Collins, R.D., American Institute of Cancer Research
Grocery prices are projected to increase again in 2008 – that’s following 2007’s highest annual increase in 17 years. But surviving these tough economic times doesn’t have to mean sacrificing good nutrition. Some simple strategies can help you cut food costs and eat more healthfully, too.
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Some things should never be said...
by Kristyn Kusek Lewis
What Not to Say About Someone's Appearance
Don’t say: “You look good for your age.”
Why: Anything with a caveat like this is rude. It's saying, "You look great―compared with other old people. It's amazing you have all your own teeth."
Instead say: “You look great.”
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7 love rules you need to break
‘Cosmopolitan’ magazine lists nonconventional tips for happier relationships
These relationship secrets go against conventional wisdom, but “Cosmo” believes in shaking things up. Colleen Rush shares seven new rules for today's relationships:
Just because you’ve always done something one way doesn’t mean it’s the right way. Remember how much your life improved when you finally gave up super-low-rise jeans, dating only bad boys, and dial-up modems? Relationship experts say that ditching the following seven love rules can be just as liberating — maybe more.
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Holding Her Head High
Actress Janine Turner Inspires Single Mothers
New Book Uncovers Moving Stories of Single Mothers Throughout History
by Janine Turner
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Nashville, TN – History yields to all types of mothers. Helena Augusta, abandoned single mother of Constantine, helped forever change Christianity. Widowed single mother Belva Lockwood would become the first female presidential candidate in 1884. And Harriet Jacobs, a slave, chose to live in a small airless attic for 7 years so her children could have freedom while diligently fighting for her own freedom and her children's safety.
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Talking Books
by Stephanie Holbrook, on behalf of the National Library Service, Library of Congress
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Talking Books, a free program offered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, helps provide eligible students with the reading materials they need to succeed. For blind and physically handicapped people, this nationwide program delivers classic literature, bestsellers and many magazines to keep them up to speed and on top of their studies. For host families who may not have the resources to care for a child with a disability, NLS Talking Books acts as a way to provide that family with a free method of providing the best and most comfortable living situation they can for their adopted family. A no cost program to host families who take in displaced families with blind or physically handicapped children. Please help promote this program on your web or in the material you give to host families. Please call 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323) or go to www.loc.gov/nls/find.html for a directory of cooperating local libraries participating in the Talking Books program and for enrollment information.
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Single Mom Dating Tips from Ms. Single Mama
I have been a dating single mom for over two years now.
And the first thing I can tell you is this - it's not easy. First you have to get past your divorce, the heartbreak, the anger and the tears. And then, once you are finally ready to get back out there, you have to factor in the kids and their feelings.
Here are a few of my single mom dating advice articles that are a good base. Start here and then come back to my blog every day, because as you'll soon see - I'm learning as I go!
Ms. Single Mama advises on How to meet men as a single mom and date them, The good stuff: falling in love as a single mom, The not-so-good stuff: breaking up as a single mom.
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Discover your personality type and what careers are best suited for you
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by Amy Allen Clark
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The end of the school year means, for many of us, lots of high school graduations and open houses to attend. To go along with these events, comes the obligatory gift for the graduate and spending money to show appreciation of their hard work. Just what is a frugal mom to do when the gift-giving season is upon her? What do you purchase for these graduates without breaking the bank?
This is the time to really let your creativity shine through and create gifts that are both memorable and affordable. These gifts do not have to be expensive; in fact, I find that the truly practical graduation gifts require very little money.
Here are a few of my favorite gifts to give that are affordable and thoughtful….
1. College Coupons - One of my favorite things to ever get in the mail, when I was in college, was a care package…from ANYONE! Giving the graduate coupons for care packages can be a very frugal gift and one that they can enjoy throughout their first year in college. Coupons can be assembled with a self-addressed stamped envelope. I like to provide a menu of choices and let them write on the coupon what they would specifically like. I include simple family favorites that can easily be packaged and enjoyed by them. Cookies can be shipped to them in empty Pringles containers or in Christmas tins. Bar cookies are very good choices for your menu options because they hold up well in the shipping process. You can download a template on my website to fill in with your own menu choices. I mount these coupons on cardstock and tie them together with ribbon. They are a fun & creative gift and it is a gift that the graduate can look forward to throughout their school year, instead of just one day.
2. Gift Cards - Gift cards, while not the most inexpensive choice, are something that a broke graduate can truly appreciate. I love to give gift cards to their local supermarket so that they can stock up on food while they are at school. Other good choices for gift cards are the gas station (if they have a car while they are at school), the local salon, the campus bookstore, local eateries, or the movie theatre.
3. Useful Gifts - Try and think of the things that the graduate will need to take with them when beginning college. Some of the things that come to mind are a backpack, an umbrella, alarm clock, a shower tote (filled with toiletries they might need), a small lamp, bed linens, towels & washcloths, school supplies (cheap during the beginning of the school season), luggage, or zip drives & disks.
4. Food Kit - I assemble the food kits inside of a dish tub. Within the dish tub, I provide a set of four place settings (plastic forks, knifes, spoons, bowls, & plates) and a sponge & dish soap for doing their dishes. I also put in any foods that I can find that can easily be prepared in their room. Just tie a bow on the outside and know that this is a gift that they will actually use. All of these items can be purchased at your local dollar store.
5. Laundry Kit - This is one of my favorite gifts for a graduate. Just assemble everything in a laundry basket and tie a bow on the handles of the basket. Inside stick a roll of quarters, a mesh laundry bag, detergent, fabric softener sheets, a fabric softener ball and you can put together a tutorial for them on how to treat stains and easy directions on how to do their laundry. Step-by-step instructions, for the newbie to doing laundry, (as many graduates are!) can be found by doing a quick search on the internet. If you are even more ambitious than that, you can include your own tips and tried & true recipes for getting stains out. These can be assembled in a binder or laminated with a magnet to be put on their dorm fridge.
6. First Aid Kit - What graduate is actually going to remember to stock a first aid kit before they leave? Put together a container of items for their medicine cabinet so that they are prepared when they leave home. Fill it up with aspirin, band aids, stomach medications, ointments, cotton balls, tweezers, and sun block. Include anything & everything they might need for an emergency.
7. Journals & Address Books - Gifts for a graduate who is not planning on attending college or who will be attending a community college can be a challenge. Many of the gifts, traditionally given to a graduate, are made for those who are going away to school. For these graduates an organizer or a journal can be a wonderful and thoughtful gift option. Address books, so that the graduate can record where all of their friends are going, are also very thoughtful. These can be purchased at your local dollar store or found at local card retailers.
The important thing, in my opinion, is to offer a gift that they can actually use. I can’t tell you how many books I got for my graduation- the infamous Dr. Suess book, Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and coffee table books. These are nice, but are usually read once and put away. I rarely reread them and they ended up collecting dust on my shelf.
I am disappointed when gifts I give are not used because, to me, it is like money going down the drain. Don’t be afraid to ask your graduate what they are in need of so that your gift is actually used.
Finally, if you are the mother of a graduate, I wish you congratulations on making it this far with your child. It is an accomplishment for you both and you should be very proud!
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About Author:
Amy Allen Clark is a stay-at-home mother of a one year old son. She is founder and creator of www.momadvice.com. Her web site is geared towards mothers who are seeking advice on staying organized, living on a budget, and for those seeking work-at-home employment. The author resides in Granger, Indiana and her hobbies include reading, writing, cooking and cake decorating. Please visit her web site for more information on these various topics for mothers and be sure to join the forum where your opinions and ideas count. Please visit her web site for more information on these various topics for mothers.
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9 Cash-Saving Tips That Pay Big Bucks
complaintsboard.com
The expression "a penny saved is a penny earned" doesn't cut it these days. But saving a few dollars here and there can add up...
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more...
Try out these Thanksgiving recipes from tasteofhome
You May Have Too Much Debt But You Also Have Options
How Life Works
If you feel like you're in over your head with personal debt, you're not alone. Millions of Americans have become overextended, many as a result of easy credit and the recessions. Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and raising interest rates do not make a good financial mix.
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Suze Orman's Recession Rescue Plan - helps you survive in times of financial crisis
OPRAH.com
Do you know what your family would do if you lost your job - or worse, your home? Financial expert Suze Orman is ready to help you
devise a recession rescue plan to survive - and possibly thrive - during this deepening financial crisis...
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Could fat babies mean fat toddlers?
A new study from Harvard Medical School found that babies who gained weight quickly had a sharply higher risk of obesity. The study
followed close to 600 babies and found those in the top quarter of weight for their length at 6 months had a 40 percent higher risk of
obesity by age 3 than smaller babies.
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more...
The 10-Ingredient Shopping Trip
By Tara Parker-Pope and Mark Bittman
... In his latest “How to Cook Everything” segment on the Today Show, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman makes it
surprisingly easy to cook a week’s worth of dinners with just a 10-ingredient shopping trip.
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Finding last-minute tuition money
There's still time to find funds for this semester's college tuition. But you'll have to move quickly.
By Gerri Willis
It's only a couple of weeks or even days until school begins. And if you don't think you'll be able to get a handle on your college
tuition bill, here with your guide to last minute money.
read more...
Short-term Payday Loans
econ4u.org
...Which are more expensive, late fees or short-term loans?...
A short-term payday loan can be a better option than overdraft fees, reconnect fees, late payment fees or a damaged credit rating when
the loan is repaid promptly. However, these loans are not suited for longer repayment periods...
Being realistic about budgeting can help avoid the need for short-term borrowing.
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Your Just-in-Case Emergency Plan
by RealSimple
Who do you call if you can't make it home in time to meet the kids' bus? Who do
you trust to take in your mail when you're on vacation? Who do you trust with
the extra set of keys to your house?
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more...
How to save $10,000 in 2009
By Liz Pulliam Weston
If you were hoping for a list of small tweaks you could make in your spending to save $10,000 a year, sorry. The reality is that
$10,000 is a lot of money. And saving big money usually means making big changes in the areas where we spend the most, such as:
Housing, Transportation, Food.
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more...
The Super, Sexy, Single Mom on a Budget
by Renee Rayles
A quick reference guide designed for the busy, single mom who has
little time to read while running the mom taxi, cooking dinner, helping with homework, and trying to fit in a date night every now and
then.
32 and Counting? Finding Your Happily Ever After Today
by Gi Gi
The author talks about the struggles a single mom goes through and the discovery that you can have HEAT (Happily Ever After Today) just
as you are, being single, taking care of your kids...
read more...
Single Mothers &
Male Role-Models / Mentors
Single mothers carry an enormous load of responsibility, especially those having sole and/or primary custody of minor children. They
nourish, they nurture, they teach, they discipline, they shelter, they protect, and they provide… all without the assistance of another
equally-invested adult.
read more...
Your 5-minute guide to protecting your identity
20 steps to protect yourself from identity theft, and seven ways to clean up things if you become a victim.
read more...
TheOnlineMom.com offers parents and consumers a guide to the top-rated, age-appropriate, kid-tested and parent-approved tech toys and gifts.
read more...
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
by Jeff Kinney
For those wondering why tween boys don’t read very much, the answer is that more books aren’t like this...
read more...
Get more self-confidence
Psychiatrist Gail Saltz and body language expert Janine Driver discuss ways to gain more confidence.
read more...
Get back in the game! Dating after divorce
Dr. Laura Berman offers smart strategies for finding romance again
TODAYShow.com contributor
Dating is often a risky and adrenaline-pumping adventure, but when you date after divorce, hearts aren’t the only commodities on the line. Between kids, potential step-relations, money issues and exes, dating after divorce can be a tricky and stressful undertaking.
Rather than delve into this stress, many divorcees choose to isolate themselves from dating and romance.
read more...
HowToDoThings.com
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Is resource with a multitude of "How-To" topics. For instance, single moms can find helpful information about family life with informative articles on the topic of "Building a Family". HowToDoThings.com presents expert-contributed information on a wide variety of family-related topics, including adoption, pregnancy & birth, parenting, and celebrating family events. Some of our most popular articles are on subjects like "How to Understand a Fetal Monitor", "How to Prepare for Breast Feeding while Pregnant", "How to Set Up an Inflatable Birthing Pool", "How to Choose Nanny Agencies", and "How to Buy Infant or Baby Cribs".
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My Story as a Single Mom
by Gail Showalter
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Author Gail Showalter is looking for stories from single mothers to use as examples in a book that will reveal how personalities affect the different ways we handle difficulties. This submission should tell of a situation that you found yourself in as a single mother. It should tell what you did and relate that to your own personality and temperament. In other words, why you did what you did when another person of a different temperament probably would have done it entirely differently given the same circumstances. To find out more about the submission, CLICK HERE.
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The Breast Cancer Site
Please support the site sponsors, above, that make The Breast Cancer Site possible -- they pay for the mammograms your daily click provides. 100% of collected revenue from site sponsorships goes to pay for mammograms. Your click, along with others today, will fund free mammograms for women in need.
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Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Breast cancer affects all women, young and old, directly and indirectly. This is why the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation www.komen.org stresses the importance of the breast self exam, the mammogram and early detection during October and throughout the year.
read more...
Your opinion is worth something at Survey Adventure. We find survey companies
everyday that pay you for giving your opinion.
Let's face it. Companies need your input to make better products. Get cash for
giving your 2 cents.
 Start Now! Click Here
Teens Report Parental Inattention to Their Important "Rites of Passage" has high price tag
by Amanda Bach
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Almost half of America’s high school teens report parental inattention to what they consider to be key transitions during their adolescence, according to a SAAD.org study released. The study suggests that this lack of timely parental involvement in important “rites of passage” comes with a high price tag: the potential for dangerous behaviors that can lead to illness, injury, or death as teens seek alternative milestones to demonstrate growing maturity and independence.
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