The Beach for Winter?

Heading down South in the coming winter? Either going to Florida or going to Brazil, you probably might want to lose your gut! Do you know how to lose stomach fat? Well there are many theories out there on the Internet, but for me the only two ingredients are: 1) reduce your caloric intake and 2) do regular physical activity! That's it -- sure you will lose weight all over, but the tummy will go too! What do you think about all this? Do you believe in spot fat reducing?

Where is Gas Heading Now?

Do you think we will ever get back to gasoline being less than $1 a gallon here in the U.S.? It could be! I've seen gas go from $4.19 to $3.29 to $2.99 to $2.16 to $1.99 to $1.84 here in Atlanta in just the past six months! No joke. And guess what the price of gas today is? $2.48 a gallon!!! That's right, gas has climbed all the way back up to almost $2.50 a pop. How high will it go or will it start to drop in the Fall?

Have You Moved?

Have you had to move int he past 12 months because of the economy? Whether it was directly or indirectly caused by the bad economy, did you have to pack up your moving boxes and leave town, your city, or just down the street? Did you have to downsize from a home to apartment, or from a home to a smaller home? Please share you stories of moving and what it has meant to your family life.

Don't Call Me Cheap!

I am a "Thrifty Shopper", meaning I do not pay full price for anything. I buy my clothes on clearance and the rest of my family. I find it silly to pay full price because if you wait it will go on sell. However I do believe every once in awhile you should go for it if you can. For example I pretty much know my husband company will have a Christmas party so I found this great dress the fit, the style the look is great so I bought it. I figured the amount I am paying for this one dress just about adds up to all the money I have saved in the past being so thrifty with my shopping.
So the way I look at is if you have earned it by saving than you deserve to splurge sometimes. Just like when you are dieting sometimes you can have the piece of chocolate cake.

The Future of American Health Care

What an ominous title to this post, huh? I mean American culture is about a lot of stuff but health care? Yeah, it is and it could be about to change dramatically in the coming months with health insurance reform. Whether you are uninsured now or have Blue Cross North Carolina, the changes that the government are trying to make are going to change things. For the better? For the worse? Only time will tell so let's keep our eyes out and see.

The End of Checked-Backage Charges

How has the practice of charging people for checked-baggage by the airline affected your luggage habits? For me its clear -- I went out and bought all new luggage that all fits as carry-on. Remember, you can take one bag for free carry-on size and one back pack or purse or laptop case on the plane. When you travel with kids, each of your kids may take a large carry-on too -- just be prepared to pull those bags yourself. I predict the whole practice of charging for checked bags will eventually die out. Think about it -- first companies one by one start charging and one day they will one by one start announcing the end of checked bag fees as a way to differentiate themselves!

Car Culture

Its true -- America is a country in love with the automobile. No mater what happens to the big three U.S. automakers, Americans will always love their cars and trucks. That's why the entire industry, from car makers, car parts makers, to truck accessories makers, is so important to this country and must survive. Companies come and go but the American love affair with the automobile will never die.