I was looking through some designer ties the other day because I needed to get a gift for my ex-boss. He was having a birthday celebration and invited me to attend. So, rather than going to the party empty-handed, I thought a tie would be a practical and appropriate gift for a 50-year-old man who is still working hard in the corporate world.
Later, I found out that another friend also bought him a tie. I guess ties must be a popular choice as a gift for men. Luckily, the tie that my friend bought is different from the one I got. Otherwise, my ex-boss will end up with two ties of the same design!
To reach my hometown, we will have to pass by many small towns and along the way you can see people having steel buildings on their land. Usually, they are for storage purposes and other cottage industries as a lot of people have replaced their dilapidated wooden sheds with more durable buildings. They are also less costly compared to conventional buildings which many people in the small towns wouldn’t be able to afford.
In fact, I can even see horse barns on farms being made of steel nowadays. They look different than the traditional wooden barns but they also seem sturdier. Perhaps steel buildings will slowly replace those wooden ones as time passes by as people take into consideration the cost, ease of construction and durability.
My husband’s niece is now in her teens and my sister-in-law provides her with a generous allowance every month, at least according to my standards. I was wondering why a teenager would require so much money each month but according to my sister-in-law, it works out to be cheaper in the long run. Huh? How can that be, right?
Well, what happens is whatever she gives at the beginning of the month includes everything that her daughter needs to survive as a student plus some leftovers for buying discretionary items. This means if her teenager wants to buy a CD album, she will have to take it out from the allowance. That way, the daughter has to learn how to save and budget because she knows that she cannot ask for further funds from her mom to buy things that she wants. The amount of money is fixed with strictly no extras.
Comparatively, my sister-in-law says that when she scrimped on the allowance and made it just enough to cover meals, transport and stationery, she ended up having to fork out more. This is because a typical teenager will ask for this and that during the month. If the allowance is just enough for schooling needs, she will come to you for extra money to buy the things that she wants. But how many times can you be rejecting her request?
So, to my sister-in-law, the solution is give her a generous allowance and let her do her own budgeting. If she wants to buy a new bag that costs a little more, she will have to see how to save on other items to get the bag she desires. In the process, she is learning how to manage her money rather than expecting her mom to pay for things that she asks for.
I guess being stingy with your kid’s allowance may not be a good thing. Give her a little more and chances are she will not bother you again for the month to buy the stuff she wants.
My husband’s friend signed up for a distance learning program recently because he feels that he can benefit from a post-graduate qualification in his line of work. However, he simply doesn’t have the time to attend classes everyday with his work and family commitments.
So, he said that he went searching for online schools and was pleasantly surprised at the number of colleges and universities that offer these kind of programs. It will still be quite a while before he can graduate but at least, to him, it is an opportunity to further his knowledge. By being proactive, one can certainly gain more knowledge and qualifications, no matter the age and distance.
You know, if you are getting married soon, dishing out wedding invitation cards is old-fashion.
Now, people actually do up a video invitation instead!
Watch these few video clips here and see what people are doing to get people to attend their wedding.If you think a nice card is timeless and can be a keepsake, think about what a video clip can do. You can watch it again and again, it doesn’t turn yellow over time and you don’t need to mail it out.
So, want to do something different and more memorable for your wedding? Forget the cards and try a video invitation for a change. Both of you might even have a great time making one together!
Whenever I visit my son’s kindy, I can tell that the school takes great pains in trying to create a happy environment for the kids. The school furniture looks bright and cheery with different characters stuck to cupboards and cabinets. The activity tables come in different fun shapes like cars and buses while the stools are white with bright colored seats.
One look and you know that it is supposed to be a happy place for kids to learn and play. I guess if you are teaching young kids, a fun decor encourages them to think that school is a happy place to be.
