FIVE FINANCIAL HABITS TO MAKE YOU HAPPIERAlthough it's difficult for most of us to increase our income significantly (especially in this economy), we do have control over our money-handling habits. Here are some of the good habits to adopt:1) Balance your checkbook. It may seem like quaint advice, but it's not. People who balance their checkbooks monthly are happier -- perhaps because they don't worry that the next check they write will bounce. Or maybe seeing that figure on the bottom line curbs the impulse to spend.2) Save 5% of what you make. Financial planners often say it's important to save at least 10% of earnings. In reality, you just need to cross the 5% threshold to see a significant boost in happiness. Once you've shown yourself you can save 5%, you'll find it easier to save more.3) Make a will. Americans have made progress in writing wills. The last big piece of research to measure how many people don't have wills put the number at 70%, according to Consumer Reports. That's still not enough, especially because having a will results in less financial worry in the long run.4) Give to charity. Whether you write checks to your favorite cause, volunteer your time or give away your no-longer-useful belongings, the act of giving is good not just for your beneficiary, but also for you. Why? It makes you happier.5) Talk to your spouse/partner about what you plan to charge. One of the hottest buttons you can push in a marriage is borrowing money without a spouse's knowledge. Many people don't realize it, but that's precisely what you're doing each time you charge on a credit card. So before you slide that Visa through the electronic slot, have an honest chat first.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Get rid of her!
10 SIGNS IT'S TIME TO DUMP HER
(FHM) Don't be like dad and get married just to avoid a messy breakup. If you see these red flags, it's time to bail.
1.She's a sports fan -- You think you've struck gold because instead of dividing your time between watching football and being with her, you can knock them both out in the same afternoon. She might even make wings and fetch you beers. Break up because: By bedding a sports fan, you're giving up the golden excuse that every other guy on earth has for leaving the house and getting snowed with friends.
2.She loves gossiping -- She sure has a lot to say about her friends when they're not around to listen, but then again, aren't all women like that? Break up because: Dating a gossip is like sharing your bed with a living, breathing personification of the E! network.
3.She controls your dinner options -- She really wants to cook an elaborate meal for dinner, but you'd rather order takeout. So you have a long discussion on the matter until you agree that cooking is probably fine. And then -- how convenient -- all of the night's ingredients have already been bought. Dump her because: While tonight's food choice may seem innocuous at first, you're not far from, "White or purple for the walls?" "Can my mother move in to the living room?" "Birth-control pills or vasectomy?"
4.She cleans your place -- Having a domestic diva to make the bed, pack lunch and do dishes will make any man think he's stumbled up on a living treasure. It's like having a maid -- except you don't need to speak Spanish or worry about the INS. Break up because: Suzie Homemaker doesn't play house in exchange for dinner and a movie. It's her audition for the role of wife. She's investing in you, and when she finally cahses out, only a diamond will cover the bill.
5.She spoils you -- The list of presents she's gotten you for your birthday reads like a page out of the Sharper Image catalog. While your friends' girlfriends stick them with sweaters or "meaningful" mix CDs, you're getting sweet-ass electronics and even a life-size stormtrooper. Break up because: Those presents weren't about you -- they were about her. When your girlfriend's special day rolls around, the bar has been set and you'll be expected to match or surpass what she spent on you.
6.She's constantly dieting -- Everything seems perfect when your lady's watching her waist. Dates are cheaper when she orders half a salad at the restaurant, and sex is better when you can close your eyes, grab her bony wrists and pretend you're with Mary-Kate Olsen. Break up because: A woman who diets obsessively has something to hide -- and it's most likely sluggish thyroid plus a family history of chronic obesity.
7.She flies solo -- You notice that her formerly close friends haven't been around lately. "Cool," you think, "I hated that pack of mascara-streaked gossip-jackals anyway." Break up because: Now that her friends are gone, she's going to start working on ditching yours.
8.She loves Daddy -- She's extremely close with her father, and while it's creepy to watch her revert to a 6-year-old whenever she talks with him, it's nice to know that he's offered to make the down payment on the house should you two ever get married. Break up because: Nothing you do will ever be good enough for her -- or, as importantly, her dad.
9.She hates working -- It's a little annoying that she constantly gripes about work, but, then, who doesn't? It's the stuff crappy sitcoms are made of. Break up because -- She's looking for an employment escape hatch, and you're it. She'll hint that if you were more ambitious, you could get a promotion and make enough for the both of you -- and hey, if you were married, your healthcare would cover her too. If you think it's boring now listening to her talk about work, imagine what it will be like when all she has to talk about are the day's soap operas.
10.She takes you shopping -- You've convinced yourself that your presence at the mall might persuade your girlfriend to buy sexier clothing, so you hold her bags while she searches for the perfect top. Break up because: Please refer back to Breakup Sign No. 7. This is just another way for her to increase her dependence on you.
(FHM) Don't be like dad and get married just to avoid a messy breakup. If you see these red flags, it's time to bail.
1.She's a sports fan -- You think you've struck gold because instead of dividing your time between watching football and being with her, you can knock them both out in the same afternoon. She might even make wings and fetch you beers. Break up because: By bedding a sports fan, you're giving up the golden excuse that every other guy on earth has for leaving the house and getting snowed with friends.
2.She loves gossiping -- She sure has a lot to say about her friends when they're not around to listen, but then again, aren't all women like that? Break up because: Dating a gossip is like sharing your bed with a living, breathing personification of the E! network.
3.She controls your dinner options -- She really wants to cook an elaborate meal for dinner, but you'd rather order takeout. So you have a long discussion on the matter until you agree that cooking is probably fine. And then -- how convenient -- all of the night's ingredients have already been bought. Dump her because: While tonight's food choice may seem innocuous at first, you're not far from, "White or purple for the walls?" "Can my mother move in to the living room?" "Birth-control pills or vasectomy?"
4.She cleans your place -- Having a domestic diva to make the bed, pack lunch and do dishes will make any man think he's stumbled up on a living treasure. It's like having a maid -- except you don't need to speak Spanish or worry about the INS. Break up because: Suzie Homemaker doesn't play house in exchange for dinner and a movie. It's her audition for the role of wife. She's investing in you, and when she finally cahses out, only a diamond will cover the bill.
5.She spoils you -- The list of presents she's gotten you for your birthday reads like a page out of the Sharper Image catalog. While your friends' girlfriends stick them with sweaters or "meaningful" mix CDs, you're getting sweet-ass electronics and even a life-size stormtrooper. Break up because: Those presents weren't about you -- they were about her. When your girlfriend's special day rolls around, the bar has been set and you'll be expected to match or surpass what she spent on you.
6.She's constantly dieting -- Everything seems perfect when your lady's watching her waist. Dates are cheaper when she orders half a salad at the restaurant, and sex is better when you can close your eyes, grab her bony wrists and pretend you're with Mary-Kate Olsen. Break up because: A woman who diets obsessively has something to hide -- and it's most likely sluggish thyroid plus a family history of chronic obesity.
7.She flies solo -- You notice that her formerly close friends haven't been around lately. "Cool," you think, "I hated that pack of mascara-streaked gossip-jackals anyway." Break up because: Now that her friends are gone, she's going to start working on ditching yours.
8.She loves Daddy -- She's extremely close with her father, and while it's creepy to watch her revert to a 6-year-old whenever she talks with him, it's nice to know that he's offered to make the down payment on the house should you two ever get married. Break up because: Nothing you do will ever be good enough for her -- or, as importantly, her dad.
9.She hates working -- It's a little annoying that she constantly gripes about work, but, then, who doesn't? It's the stuff crappy sitcoms are made of. Break up because -- She's looking for an employment escape hatch, and you're it. She'll hint that if you were more ambitious, you could get a promotion and make enough for the both of you -- and hey, if you were married, your healthcare would cover her too. If you think it's boring now listening to her talk about work, imagine what it will be like when all she has to talk about are the day's soap operas.
10.She takes you shopping -- You've convinced yourself that your presence at the mall might persuade your girlfriend to buy sexier clothing, so you hold her bags while she searches for the perfect top. Break up because: Please refer back to Breakup Sign No. 7. This is just another way for her to increase her dependence on you.
Just lending a helping hand
FIVE WAYS TO FIGHT A TRAFFIC TICKET1) Gather evidence. Ask the traffic court to see official documents, like calibration records for either the radar gun or the speedometer used to clock your car. File a discovery request with the prosecutor so you can examine documents in advance for flaws. But note that if you subpoena documents, you'll remind the officer of the incident, which may prompt him to show up in court (see No. 5).2) Beat the beam. Speed-measuring devices such as radar and laser (aka LIDAR, or Light Detecting and Ranging) are subject to human error. Some attorneys have won cases in which officers have failed to give sufficient proof of proper LIDAR positioning.3) Go for technicalities. If certain elements of a ticket are missing, the case can be thrown out. For instance, if the officer's name and signature are illegible and if the badge number is impossible to read on a New York City parking ticket, then it should be dismissed, according to a former city parking judge.4) Be brief. Judges don't have a lot of time. Give a two-minute report. Use visual evidence, such as a photo of a road sign obscured by foliage.5) Win by default. If the officer doesn't show up and the court asks for a continuance (postponement to another day), then your response should be, "I object," . The case should be dismissed if the officer doesn't have a good reason to be absent from court.
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