Keep the Receipts/Do the Survey

Keep the Receipt/Do the Survey

Tips on Saving Money and Getting Things for Free!

Okay, so you went shopping, and you have one of those pesky receipts. They are just trash or extra paper for you to dispose of. Wait. Before you throw that receipt away, read it!

Why in the world would you read a sales receipt? Because it will save you some money. If you take the time to do the survey on the receipt, you can get a lot of free perks. In my book, How to Pay Less for Everything and Even Get Some Things for Free, I talk about how you can save money with those pesky receipts. One great thing about those receipts is that most of the time the companies offer you rewards for taking their surveys.

Popeye’s chicken is currently offering two pieces of chicken and a biscuit with the purchase of a large drink. All of this will cost you about $2.40. Wow! This is great deal considering you are getting a meal for the price of a large drink.

Subway gives you a free cookie in exchange for your input. One cookie may not seem like a lot, but you can add to your lunch as a tasty snack. Remember, the goal is to save money and share my opinion.

Burger King offers you a free whopper just for your opinion. And, I love whoppers. I just pay for some fries and a small drink. Another quick and simple meal for less.

JCPenney offers you a 10% off discount for sharing your experience. This discount is good for the entire day. I used this coupon this weekend~which is tax free weekend~and save a bundle. I was able to purchase some jeans I had been wanting. I got the 10% discount. Plus the jeans were on sale, and I didn’t have to pay any tax. I was happy as a chicken looking at a June bug.

Office Depot gives you a $10.00 coupon that is good on a purchase of qualifying merchandise. I love this one because I just wait until I am out of both my colored and black ink, and then, I use my coupon. This saves me about $5.00 on each ink cartridge.

Wal-Mart, Fred’s, and Walgreen offer to add your name to a monthly drawing for cash and prizes. I am all for prizes. I haven’t won any yet, but I do know someone who has.

So, don’t throw that receipt away. Use it to voice your opinion, share your shopping experience, and get some things for free!

Revenge Sex: The Big Pay Back

 

Sexual Revenge

Okay, you have caught him cheating. Maybe, he confessed. No matter how you found out, you found out. And, it cuts like a knife. You trusted this man with your heart, and how does he repay you? He goes out and does this! Now, what do you do?

Do you leave him? Do you stay with him? Either way, you are out for blood. You want to make him pay for all the nasty things he has done to you. So, what is the best way to hurt him? The first thing that crosses your mind is to wound his pride like he had done yours. You want to humiliate him. And, what better way than to have revenge sex?

Well, girlfriend, let me tell you. That is one of the worst things that you can do. Why? Why should you stay straight when he has gone off the deep end? Because as much as you will hurt him, you will end up hurting yourself.

I get it. You’re mad right now. But, what about later? What happens when the smoke blows over? You will discover that you have been no better than him. And, what if the two of you decide that you want to work things out? How do you think your little indiscretion will play into all of that? If the two of you have children, how will this make them feel? And, most of all, how will you feel?

Yes, you are hurting, and you want to lash out. But, it is not worth it. Believe me. I know. I was the queen of revenge at one time in my life. Thankfully, as I have gotten older, I have gotten wiser. I have learned that having an affair just to punish him always backfires on you. You end up feeling cheap and betrayed. Revenge sex does not kill the pain of his betrayal.

So, what do you do? You find strength in yourself. You turn to God. You turn to your friends. You examine the situation and try to figure out what went wrong. You pick yourself up and move on. You don’t use your body as a pawn in a game.

So, sista, keep your head up! Brighter days are ahead.

The Handwriting on the Wall: Ignoring the Signs of a Break-Up

 

The Handwriting on the Wall

A while back, a young lady called me. She was very upset. In fact, she was literally in tears. Her boyfriend had finally called it off, and she was absolutely devastated. I did all that I could to comfort her and reassure her that everything was going to work out all right. The thing was this. I already knew this day was coming.

The young lady had been giving me calls for the past few months. She had been confiding in me about the problems that she and the young man had been having. And, for me, it was as plain as the nose on my face that things were not going to work out. She was a nice girl. She was pretty. She was working hard to get her education, and she was trying to motivate him to do the same. But, he simply wasn’t as gung-ho as she was about anything. He wasn’t as serious. While she wanted to settle down, he wanted to continue to play around.

I tried to warn her gracefully, but she just didn’t seem to get it. She was always finding a way to justify his behavior. But, the handwriting was on the way. Of course, I am a pretty good bit older than she is, and as the saying goes, “I been there and done that”. So, the break-up was no shock to me.

Well, I said all of that just to say this, “Wake up, ladies. Wake up.” Stop fooling yourselves. When he is not treating you the way that you should be treated…when he has checked out emotionally…when your heart starts whispering that he is being unfaithful…listen to your heart. Listen to your guts. Don’t close your eyes. See the handwriting on the way. Be aware that he is cheating. Be aware that he is getting ready to leave you. I recently wrote an eBook called, Hey Sista, Practical Advice for Women. It is sold on Amazon. In it, I give the warning signs of an impending break-up. Learn the signs. Watch the signs. Follow the signs. Guard your heart!

Knights In Shining Armor

 

Knights in Shining Armor

I can remember reading all those fairytales as a child. I can remember reading about the princess or damsel in distress and the wonderful, knight in shining armor coming to rescue her. I believed those stories and wanted to be rescued. My most of my young life I believed that a man could solve my problems. I kept thinking, “If I can just get married…I would have someone to help me pay these bills.  I would have someone to come home to…someone to talk to about my problems…someone to help me raise my kids.”

Praise God, I have finally woke up. I no longer center my life around my wedding~which has not come~but around what I can do for myself. I look to my own resources. I realize that even if there was a man here, it doesn’t mean that I will have the financial help that I have been longing for or the person to listen to my problems or the person to be here with me raising my children. I am not saying I will never marry, but I am so glad that I realize marriage is not everything. There are no knights in shining armor. Men have problems too. Marriage is a compromise. It would not be all about me and my needs. So, to all those women who are still unconsciously looking for a man to rescue them, I would like to say “Wake up!” Face reality. That man that you are waiting on to save you, maybe waiting on you to save him.

Build yourself up. Don’t spend your life looking for Mr. Right. To be honest, there is no Mr. Right. There are men who are more compatible with us than others. Learn to love yourself. Learn to be happy with the woman that you are. Before you know it, the man who is right for you will show up (if that is what you want).

So, good-bye Cinderella. Good luck Snow White. Good night Sleeping Beauty. No more kissing frogs, Tiana. I am doing just fine.

What Does He Mean When He Says...You're a Nice Girl...You Deserve Better?

 

 

Okay. Some of us have heard these words from the man in our life, and we have wondered just what he meant. In fact, some of us have grab the phone and called our girlfriends for answers. Sadly, all she can tell us is that we are “nice” or that we are “good girls”. Why are we so confused? First, our boo said this without explaining. Second, he said this and didn’t officially break up with us. So, we are left hanging.

When we ask our man about it later, we are not given a straight answer. Sometimes, he may even play dumb and pretend that he doesn’t remember saying these words. So, ladies allow me to enlighten you.
As a woman who has been there and done that, I have just about heard it all. To be honest, I have just about said it all too. Guilty…Guilty…Guilty as charged. When your significant other tells you how nice you are, he means it. You are a nice person. Yeah! Great, right!? Maybe.

When this statement is followed by the acknowledgment that you can do better, you better look out. His hands have been in the cookie jar, and his conscious is acting up. He is tell you in so many words that he has done you wrong and that you are too good for his junk.

Why hasn’t he broken up with you? Simple. You are too good to lose. He doesn’t want to willingly let you go. But, he is not ready to stop doing the crap that he is doing. He still wants to play the field and run home to you. Sometimes, when he is caught red-handed and given an ultimatum, he may even chose to let you go.

How to I know? Because I have been in the same situation. To be honest, I have even told guys this same thing after I have been wading in the mud with my man on the side. I would come back from my rendezvous and realize that I had a good man at home.

So, why would I cheat? Why would your man cheat when he knows that you are a good woman? For the same reasons everybody does:

·         Having an affair can be exciting.

·         Things are a little rocky at home or in the relationship with you. A lover welcomes us with open arms and doesn’t want to know when we are going to pay the bills or stop hanging out with our friends.

·         Things in the bedroom may have gotten boring.

·         He or she makes us feel special. They tell us how beautiful we are. They act like we are the most important person in the world.

So, now you know. What should you do?  Try to have a heart to heart talk with your partner. But, be prepared for him to deny everything.

How to Flirt like a Southern Belle Style

 

Southern women are known for their drawl, their charm, and their flirtatious nature. They can stop a man dead in his tracks with just one look, and they can woo him before he even bats his eyes. If you have ever watched Gone with the Wind, then you have seen a southern belle in action. Scarlett O’Hara was an infamous flirt. How do southern women do it? The following is a guide to flirting southern belle style.

The Eyes Have It

Flirting begins with the eyes. All good southern girls learn from an early age how to make her eyes work for her. And, those eyes don’t have to be blue. All you need to know is how to “smize” (smile with your eyes~a term coined by supermodel Tyra Banks). The first thing you will need to do is look directly at your target. Make your eyes as wide as you can. Then, slowly drop them half way. Go from his eyes to his shoulders and then back up to his eyes again. Raise one of your eyebrows and make your eyes smile. It doesn’t hurt to bat them once or twice. It is also a good idea to know how to wear the right eye make up for maximum effect.

The Lips Say It All

A woman’s lips also play an important part in the flirting process. Let your lips work for you. Once you have his attention, smile. Don’t give him a big silly smile. Make it subtle. The smile should begin in one corner of your mouth like a smirk and then let it go all the way around. Lipstick and lip gloss are your friends. Don’t be afraid to use some. They can help to make your lips exciting.

Talk to Me

Once you have captured him with your eyes and drew him in with your lips, you should then strike up a conversation. You can start it out with something as simple as a “Hello”.  Find something of mutual interest and have a nice, casual conversation. A good southern flirt will center the conversation around the man she is talking to. So, let him talk about himself or things that interest him. Be sure to look either wide-eyed or dreamy eyed.  Act like he is the most important person in the world at that moment.

Touch My Heart

During the course of the conversation, gently touch his arm. Don’t grab him. Make the touch light. It should seem “natural”.

Learning to Walk Away

Finally, a southern girl knows when to walk away. Don’t let the conversation go on too long. Remember, you want to give him something to think about. Leave him wanting more. Politely, excuse yourself. If he is still interested, he will ask for your number or any other way that he can contact you.

Southern women are known for their ability to flirt. Their words drip like honey, and men flock to them. Follow the steps listed above and flirt like a southern belle.

Gift Ideas for Football Fans

Great gift ideas for Football fans

Can’t think of what to get that special person in your life?  Do they love football? If they do, then finding a gift just got easier. The items below make great gifts for any football fan.

*Collapsible quad chair

Who couldn’t use a collapsible quad chair? These are great to use when sitting near the field or to use during those tailgating parties. They are generally inexpensive, and because they are collapsible, they can be taken anywhere.  You can make this chair extra special by purchasing one with your football fan’s favorite team logo on it. 

*Clappers, Cowbells, and Pompoms

Any good football fan will need a noise maker to use when their team makes that touchdown.  Mississippi State University fans use cowbells, but there are other items that are just as much fun. You can have specially designed team clappers or bam bams for your football enthusiast. If your football fan happens to be a female or you don’t want a noise maker, you can opt for pompoms in team colors.

*Team t-shirts and sweatshirts

Team t-shirts are cute and they are a fantastic way to show off that school pride. They go well with jeans, shorts, and turtlenecks. Don’t forget those warm and cozy team sweatshirts. They are perfect for the game and the cold weather.

*Hats and gloves

Football is a cold weather sport. Help keep your football fan warm while they are sitting in the stands with both a warm hat and a pair of gloves. If your football fan likes a professional team, you can find these with team logos also.

*Electric smoker (tailgating)

Tailgating and football go hand in hand. If your football fan likes to tailgate, then an electric smoker can be an ideal gift. There are three different types of smokers: wood burning, charcoal, and propane. Smokers can be used to cook both meats and vegetables at the same time which makes them perfect for tailgating.

*Cooler (tailgating)

Another item that is a tailgating must is a cooler. A cooler can be used to keep drinks and other carefully wrapped dishes like potato salad cool.  All your football fan will have to do is fill it up and head out to the game day party.

*Flat screen television

Let your favorite football fan watch that big game on a new flat screen television.  They can be purchased at any electronics store. They range in price according to size, so it’s easy to get one to fit your budget.

*Memorabilia

Anything with your football enthusiast’s team logo will make a great gift. This includes footballs, flip flops, bracelets, coffee mugs, and figurines.

Football enthusiasts all have one thing in common-they all love the game. When choosing a gift for them, get them something they will love.  Choose one of the gifts from the list above.