Three Ideas to Help Men Become More Thoughtful

This guest post is by Mike Bundrant of theiNLP Center.


What does she want, specifically?


I know what you may be thinking.



For example, which do you think will make her happier?


Another example:



But don’t do this…



Three tips





How to Recognize Vision Problems in Children

This post is by Evan Fischer.

Your child may not recognize or be able to articulate vision or eye problems if they are experiencing them, and you may not suspect that anything is wrong … at first. 

Sometimes, behavioral problems or seeming learning disabilities may stem from an undiagnosed vision problem.  Your child may need assistance with their vision. 

Vision problems in children

Image copyright forestpath -

The group Prevent Blindness America has studied such problems in children and determined that one in four children of school age is affected.  If you notice that your child is experiencing any of these signs, it is important that you schedule a full vision examine from an eye care professional, preferably one who specializes in pediatrics.

Trouble concentrating

If your child is having trouble seeing the board at school or reading assigned texts, it may be that they are experiencing vision difficulties and not that they have attention deficit disorder (or ADD). 

This problem can extend to your child’s homework patterns.  Are they taking longer than they once did, or are they working inordinately longer on their studies?  It may be that they are forced to reread passages because they can’t see or focus on long enough to comprehend them.  Skipping words or lines while reading points to the possibility of astigmatism.

Sitting too close to the TV

Sitting or scooting nearer and nearer to the television or squinting at it are signs that your child is having trouble seeing the screen, or that they might be nearsighted.  If they are covering up or closing one eye while watching television or performing other close activities like reading, it may be that they are experiencing double vision. 

Pay attention to the way they look at objects:  are they holding books further away?  Squinting?  Is one eye crossing?


Children with eye strain from reading or staring at the computer screen may complain of headaches.  The child may also complain of dizziness.

Red eyes

If a child is experiencing some kind of vision problem, they are more prone to rubbing their eyes, which makes them look red and irritated.  Listen to see if your child is complaining about eyes that itch or that hurt.


If your child seems more accident-prone than before—and this can include bumping into furniture, dropping objects, or missing the table when laying down dishes or silverware—they may have a vision problem.  This may extend to the ways that they play, including their ability to handle toys and balls.

If your child is experiencing any of these problems, you should take them to an eye care specialist or read more information at All About Vision, to determine if they need corrective glasses or contact lenses

The American Optometric Association recommends that your child have a comprehensive eye exam at six months of age, again at three, and again at five or six, even if they are displaying no outward signs of vision impairment.  After that, they should have yearly check-ups. 

Left untreated, certain eye problems can develop into serious medical issues, while in their earlier stages they may be easily and affordably curable.


5 Ways to Slow Down This Holiday Season

This post is by Rachael of




1.    Plan meals and food gifts ahead

Cooking for the holidays

Image copyright Noam -





3.    Shop at home or give handmade gifts



4.    Start a brand new tradition this year


5.    Make a date with close friends




5 Realistic Ways to Live a Healthier Life

This post is by Josh Sarz of

Are you as healthy as you should be? Everyone wants to live a long, healthy, meaningful life. But the harsh reality is, it’s not that easy at all.

A healthy life

Image copyright jjpixs -

We talk about it every day. How we always plan to turn our lives around live a healthier life. But do we actually follow it? Do we get up and work on our body? Do we invest in ourselves the way we all should be doing?

I didn’t think so.

Is living healthily hard work?

Of course it is. We don’t expect to get something so beneficial for free. By just sitting on your couch all day and watching mind-numbing television, you won’t miraculously turn into a healthy human being.

It’s supposed to be hard! That way, not a lot of people will turn out healthy—and the ones who do will have something to gloat about.

Well, not really.

There are actually small, realistic steps that you can take to turn your life around and start living more healthily.

You don’t have to be The Biggest Loser, folks

You don’t have to slave and torture your body in an effort to force it to lose weight. Remember, you’re not on a TV show. You don’t have to go through psychotherapy or hypnosis to quit that bad habit like smoking or drinking. There are step-by-step guidelines on this. And you don’t have to go through the whole ordeal alone.

You don’t have to finish an Ironman triathlon. Although one of the highest accomplishments bestowed upon man, this is not required to prove you are living a healthy life.

You don’t have to venture into the extremes. There are easy and realistic ways to start this healthy, upward spiral.

1. Get enough sleep

I can’t stress this enough. There’s a reason why this is number one on the list.

If you plan on living a healthier life, you need to understand that sleep is one of the most important parts of your day. You shouldn’t miss it for anything. If you run late, just make up for it.

The average adult body needs around eight hours of sleep per day. Any less would mean a visible decrease in productivity and quality of work. Spending more than nine hours on sleep causes more or less the same effects.

For the incredibly busy, what I can suggest is to prioritize your physiological needs over anything else.

2. Eat well

Healthy does not mean that you avoid food. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Food has a purpose for our bodies. It helps us grow. It helps us live for tomorrow. It gives us the nutrition and energy we need to achieve anything physically and mentally.

How many times do you eat a full meal each day? If by any chance that number is below three, then you need to change that. Fast.

If you’re trying to lose weight, simply eat smaller meals five to six times a day. It’s much more effective compared to actually starving yourself. Go on, don’t be scared. Indulge.

3. Clean up your act

I’m not just talking about physical clutter here. I’m also talking about emotional clutter, as well as psychological clutter. There’s a lot of forms of clutter. The most common ones are smoking, alcoholism, drug dependency, etc.

Moderation doesn’t cut it in the long run anymore. As long as you still have addictions in your life, you’re not going to get any better. Wean yourself off of that baggage. Lessen your smoking, day by day, to the point where you actually quit. If you can pull this off, you’ll find that this is one of the best decisions in your life.

I myself had to let go of alcohol and cigarettes. My body was addicted to them. I had to let go of alcohol because I didn’t like how my body felt every time I had a hangover. Although there were withdrawal symptoms, I was able to beat the habit after about a year.

I also defeated smoking once, until one fateful day where I eventually went back to it. This time was much harder, as my body actually wanted to smoke like a fiery dragon. The thing is, it damaged my personal relationships with my family and my girlfriend. So I decided to try and quit smoking again. I’m now on my third week of being smoke-free.

4. Put down those gadgets

This can be tied up with the previous point, on de-cluttering. But you don’t have to throw away your computer. Your console. Your phone. Or that iPad.

What you need to do is make time for yourself. Your physical self—not your social media account. Go outside. Get some fresh air. Find time to smell the roses. Learn how to ride a bike. Take leisurely bike rides along the beach or on the countryside. Play some basketball with your friends. Do something physical. Work out. Get fit. Anything.

No, Angry Birds isn’t a physical activity.

5. Fall in love with walking

One of the simplest, yet most effective way to live a healthier life is by walking. Yup. Walking.

Research shows time and time again that people live longer if they’re physically active.

No, they didn’t do some research on athletes. They did it on regular adults, both male and female, aged 40-79. One group walked for more than an hour a day, and the second group didn’t.

The results were amazing. The group who actually walked for at least an hour a day came out healthier and lived longer lives than the other group.

Just by walking for an hour a day, that group of people had an average lifespan increase of three years. Amazing.

The stage is yours

See how simple the above guidelines are? That’s the key. There are no secret techniques, and no marketing. Just simple, realistic steps you can take to start living a much healthier life.

Once you’re able to put them to practice, you can then incorporate the intense workout routines if you still need to.

Now, when do you plan on living a healthier life? What are you waiting for? What steps have you already taken toward this goal? And how many times have you tried, but failed? Tell us all about it in the comments.

Josh Sarz is a Cebu Blogger who writes about Finding Ways to Enjoy Life. You can check his series about Rest Days, or you can read all the other posts over at his blog.

Life After Debt: What You Need to Know

This is a post by Kevin Yu, author of the DebtEye Blog.

It’s a great and liberating feeling after you made your final payment to your credit card company.  Your hard work, persistence, and dedication finally paid off.  Go ahead and celebrate and rejoice, but don’t get too comfortable.  Getting rid of debt is only half the battle.  The other half is knowing how to stay debt-free so you don’t follow the same road as before.

“Nearly all debtors stated that they had received offers for credit [cards] in the first months following their bankruptcy,”—Source.


Image copyright Carly Hennigan -

Why is this quote so important?  The reason is because credit card companies love targeting consumers who are fresh out of debt.   They know that with this new “fresh start,” consumers will likely begin to rack up credit card debt again. 

Credit card companies don’t like you if you pay off your balance in full each month; they like you because you’re considered a “revolver”.  A revolver is someone who only pays the minimum payment and carries their balance over each month.

How do you stay debt free?

The first part of living a debt-free life is knowing how you got there in the first place.  Let’s face it, accumulating debt doesn’t happen overnight.  There was some reason why you started to accumulate debt in the first place.  Here are the most typical reasons most people get into debt.

  1. Not enough savings: There comes a point in everyone’s lives where we’re faced with unexpected expenses.  It can include medical expenses, car/home repairs, or even a friend or family who needs to borrow money.  You should have at least six months of living expenses saved in case of emergencies.  If you had an emergency fund, you wouldn’t need to charge it on your credit card, right?
  2. Keeping up with the Joneses: Having the best things in life is great.  We’re living in an age where technology and innovation creates new “must-have” products.  Your neighbor buys a new 3D TV, and you now feel the need to buy a bigger and better one.  A friend buys the iPad2 while you’re still stuck with the original iPad.  This is a habit you want to avoid at all costs.  Do you ever hear about celebrities who file for bankruptcy?  I wonder why.
  3. Poor money management: How many of us actually have a budget and stick with it?  You must create a monthly budget and get in the habit of following it.  However, I always recommend that everyone starts off with a monthly spending journal.  A spending journal involves writing down every little expense (even the $0.25 pack of gum you buy).  After a month, you’ll start to notice a trend and see where your money is going every month.  From there on, you can now construct a realistic monthly budget and find where you can trim some of your expenses.  Also, don’t forget to set aside 15% of your income towards savings!

Learn to use credit responsibly: become a “deadbeat”

A “deadbeat” is a term used in the credit industry to describe a consumer who pays off their balance in full each month.  Creditors refer to you as a “deadbeat” because they don’t profit off of you compared to a “revolver”. 

I’m not here to tell you to stop using credit cards forever. Using your credit card is important in establishing credit in case you’re making a big financial purchase.  Without it, you have no creditworthiness. 

But here are some tips on how to use credit responsibly.

  1. Have a small credit limit: There’s really no need to have a $2,000+ credit limit on your credit card.  Having a higher credit limit only makes you feel that you have “free money” that you can pay off at any time.  This is why credit card companies send letter saying that you’re eligible for a higher credit limit.
  2. Pay off your balance: This may sound like an obvious tip, but it’s surprising how many people carry balances.  For example, if you have a $500 balance, you can tell yourself that you’ll pay off $400 and leave a $100 balance.  Soon enough, this is going to develop into a habit.  This is exactly what your credit card companies want.  Have the discipline to pay off credit cards quickly before the due date!
  3. Gain reward points: If you decide to use your credit card for daily purchases (and of course pay it off every month), make sure you reconcile your transaction at least once a week. Make sure you’re keeping track of how much you’re spending every month in each expense category.  This will ensure that you’re not “freely” using your credit card for unnecessary purchases.

Living a debt-free life involves learning to spend money wisely. If you can keep to a budget, set aside money towards your savings account every month, and pay off your credit card balances in full, then you’re well on your way to becoming a deadbeat!

Kevin is the author of the DebtEye blog. He is a certified credit counselor and used to own a credit counseling company in Chicago. He is also the co-founder of DebtEye, which is an online software to help people get out of debt.

How to Buy Christmas Presents Without Breaking the Bank

This guest post is by David Lazar of



Christmas gift

Image copyright Subbotina Anna -



Take all spending into consideration




Plan a gift budget and stick to it





Create a gift list



Start shopping early



Mind the sales





Go easy on the plastic





How to Be Positive When Everything Seems Like it’s Falling Apart

This post is by Lea of




The pointlessness of worry




The effort is worth it







Small steps add up




5 Tips for More Online Dating Success

This post is by Nabil Gulamani of





Make sure that you have high standards




Be optimistic in your writing style




Use a great photo




Don’t be afraid to tease women when messaging them





Be consistent if you want to succeed




Simple steps to get started with online dating

  1. Sign up to open an account.
  2. Start filling out your profile description.



Five Top Tips for Surviving the Run-up to Payday

This post is by Dani Butlerson of Payday Express.

Ah, the elusive payday, when spending and expenses have taken their toll and month end just can’t come quick enough!

It’s Murphy’s law that you seem to have a run of bad luck with expenses that you hadn’t banked on at the end of a month in which you soon realize you might have spent a bit too much. Maybe a few too many nights out, the forgotten credit payment, or a holiday that seemed mandatory at the time left you with not quite enough money to cover that broken boiler as winter sets in.

The end of the month can often be the most stressful as it always seems that unforeseen bills or emergency expenses rear their ugly heads then, and you have to start relying on the clearance section of the supermarket!


Image copyright Jakub Krechowicz—

Okay, it mightn’t often get so bad that you’ll start eating bits of paving slab for sustenance, but it’s never a pleasant experience to realize that you’re not on top of your finances and still have a bit of a wait until payday.

So what can you do to calm your end-of-month worries? Well, while this advice might not work for everyone, here are the top five tips with which I’ve managed to pinch a few pennies to tide me over til payday.

1. Switch to public transport, take a walk or cycle to work

Heck, why not? It’s environmentally-friendly, a darn sight cheaper and should be more relaxing than tackling rush hour traffic.

2. Cook your own meals

If you’re anything like me, you’re a restaurant fiend. I don’t even know how it happened—I even had a brief stint as a chef! And still, when I get in from work, I can’t resist meeting up with a friend in a fancy restaurant or ordering some Chinese takeaway. Thing is, if you actually weigh up how much you spend on this (generally unhealthy) food, it’s amazing the savings you’ll make by cooking your own meals.

3. Sell some of your stuff

I admit it: I’m a hoarder. I have stacks of DVDs, useless junk, and old sporting equipment that is just gathering dust. I recently opened an eBay shop and started pawning my wares, and the extra windfall definitely helps.

I recommend services such as Envirofone or Mazuma for your old mobiles; for CDs, DVDs and games; and, if you’re a particularly creative sort, fro craft items.

4. Take out a payday loan

Easy to apply for online, a payday loan can provide the extra bit of help when you need some temporary short-term credit to see you through to payday. Just ensure you only borrow what you know you can comfortably pay back with interest on your payday, and keep everything organized. Speaking of which…

5. Plan those weeks ahead

Now, this is one I’ve struggled with somewhat, despite it being the most important! I hate to plan ahead and would much rather do things spontaneously, but with finances, this is just too big a risk to take.

Since I created a list of expenditures and allowed for a monthly budget, I’ve not only reduced my stress levels, but also ensured that I generally have something left over at the end of a month in case one of life’s little emergency expenses suddenly crops up.

Now, it’s my payday at the end of next week and I’m actually doing alright! Okay, I’m not going to be rushing out and buying a 42” widescreen TV (although if anyone would like to donate one to me, please feel free to get in touch!), but I think I’ve started to understand fiscal responsibility that little bit more.

Just remember, money is rarely a constant and you can’t predict the future—stay sensible, plan ahead, and look after your finances, because you never know when you’re really going to need them.

Dani Butlerson is a writer for the web team at Payday Express, short term payday loans providers, offering a quick, easy, and friendly service for customers.

How to Beat the Winter Blues



Here are a few tips for beating the winter blues.

Meet new people




Take a break




Socializing with old friends



Creating life achievements



