Are you going to buy skin products at affordable price? As we age we need to look after our skin in different ways. The skin care regime I used in my 20’s will be very different from what I need as I age. There are a myriad of products on the market and not all are expensive. Some can be as little as $20 or less, made by very well known companies. We all need to moisturize our skin and look after it to prevent skin damage and wrinkles. There are day creams, night creams, eye creams and treatments, anti-aging facial cleansers and toners, anti-aging facial masks to minimize wrinkles and anti-aging sunscreen to protect you when out and about. There are also anti-aging skin care tools; one is the Clarisonic cleansing system by Pacific Bioscience Laboratories.

As we age the production of collagen slows down, so most anti-aging skin care products contain elements to increase the skins production of collagen. Exposure to the sun over the years can cause loss of collagen. All anti-aging skin care products contain antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, peptides and Retinol. All of these chemicals can be present or a combination of them. There are several products available that are inexpensive that those on the lowest budget can afford to have good skin care regime.

Antioxidants such as green tea or more commonly Vitamin E are found in most anti-aging moisturisers.  Antioxidants are there to help halt any sun damage that has been caused by exposure to the sun. Sun damage and age slow the production of collagen. With the use of antioxidants in moisturisers and eye treatments they aim to prevent new wrinkles from forming by boosting collagen production. An example is Eucerin sensitive skin Q10 anti wrinkle moisturizer. It contains vitamin E as an antioxidant and is less than $12. This is a great product at this price. The vitamin E gives my skin a dose of moisturizer while looking after my sensitive skin.

Another product found in anti-aging moisturisers is hyaluronic acid. This helps your skin retain moisture and plumps the skin under the wrinkles. This is found in Garnier’s BB cream skin renew. For less than $13 this moisturiser is also tinted and acts as a sun screen. It also contains vitamin C. This is great for when I want a little extra color but don’t want to use a heavy foundation during the day.

Products called peptides are also found in anti-aging moisturisers. This has been found to help heal wounds and increase the production of collagen. There is a product called L’Oreal Paris Age Perfect Hydra-nutrition advanced skin repair serum. It is under $20 and contains biopeptides that help to create a barrier to the elements of sun and weather exposure. I use this when I am out gardening or going to the beach when I want a bit more sun protection.

A great anti-aging eye treatment by Garnier contains another product beneficial to aging skin. It is retinol which is a vitamin A. This can be found in most skin care products. It exfoliates the skin, removing dead skin cells and revealing fresh skin underneath. Garnier anti-wrinkle eye roller is under $17 and reduces crow’s feet and puffiness around the eyes. It is best stored in the fridge, the coolness is refreshing. I found this to be a great product from a well known company. It is refreshing to use especially on warm weather or after the beach. Retinol halts the production of certain compounds that break down collagen. It is a proven treatment in treating aging skin.

An anti-aging facial mask is a good addition to your skin care regime. An inexpensive one at under $4 is made by Freeman. It is called Facial enzyme mask and contains pineapple extract and vitamin C. These are best used once or twice a week to refresh and tighten your facial skin. This mask leaves my skin feeling smooth and fresh. It is a fantastic price too. I haven’t found many good products at less than $5 but this is one I use all the time.

Most anti-aging sunscreen products are contained in moisturisers. An inexpensive cream is made by Olay Total effects. It is called 7 in 1 plus a touch of sun. It helps control fine lines and wrinkles while providing a sun screen as well. It is less than $19 and also contains an exfoliating agent called beta-hydroxy acid. I find this to be another great product from a well known company. I find Olay products great value for money and this is one of them.

A good anti-aging facial cleanser for less than $8 is made by Neutrogena called Ageless restoration. It has micro beads which help to remove dead skin cells and leave your skin feeling fresh and clean. I find this to be a great cleanser as it removes all traces of make up as well. The little beads feel like little massage balls as you massage this cleanser into your skin.

A good anti-aging night treatment is also a good addition to my skin care regime. Look for one with retinol as this works while you sleep.

You can spend a lot of money on skin care but I have found with a little looking around I can find a good range of anti-aging moisturizers and other anti-aging skin care products under $20. You don’t have to stores, just sit in front of a computer and do your research online. I look for products that contain antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C and either peptides or retinol. The best also contain hyaluronic acids as well. These all help to promote the skin to produce to collagen which plumps up the skin and lessens the look of wrinkles. If you can find a range of products that suit your skin you can limit the looks of aging as I have done and it hasn’t cost me a fortune.

Life is not easy. You don’t realize that when you were young. After you got into college, you started to pay your credit card bill and maybe your apartment rent, and you started to realize that it was up to you to manage the money. But as long as you got supported by your parents, you don’t feel the pressure. Then you graduated, you found a job, you got married, you bought a house, and you got a kid. Once you have a mortgage to pay and a kid to raise, you suddenly found out there are tons of bills need to pay every month. And then you started to realize that there are money traps everywhere which sucks your money without a blink. You learned your lesson and tried your best to avoid them.

Tell me the money traps you have encountered. Maybe a hair specialist, an orthodontist, a vet, an appliance salesman? Who is the worst? In my experience, an auto mechanic is the worst one. Everybody knows that you can’t listen to what auto mechanics tell you. It is common sense that all they said to you is just to make you spend more money while they can make some extra commissions out of it. But I still got fooled sometimes.

Here is the story. I went to Car Spa last Friday to get a car detailing for my Audi Q7. I usually do this once a year. Every time I would choose the most expensive service at $129.99, which is not bad at all. I have tried a few other stores, such as Kwik Kar Lube and Wash, it will cost $169 for full service. See, here is the catch: they attract you by some good deal, and then sell you something you don’t need. Every time I came in, the service man will approach and ask me what I need. I will tell him I need a car detailing, full service. He will recommend something else and I will say no without any hesitate. This works fine in the past few years.

But it was all different that Friday. After the service man walked away, someone else came to me. He claimed that he is the manager, and since I was a loyal customer he will personally issue me a discount on a scratch repair. The normal price is $250, but he will give me a $50 discount. I thought about it for a second or two. Then he sat down next to me, explain to me that this is their newest technology, and no other auto repair shop can provide such a low price. I know there are a few tiny scratches on both of my passenger doors. But they are too small to tell. The biggest scratch is on the back door, which is hit by my garage door. I asked him if he saw the big scratch on the back, he said sure. And he told me it would at least cost me $600 to fix it if I take it to Audi or other body repair shop. I stood up and wanted to show him where the big scratch is. I wanted to confirm that he saw that and can fix that. But right at that moment, the previous service man came to me asking me to do some paper work. After I was done, the manager was gone. I didn’t think it twice. I sat down and continued to read news from my iPhone.

A hour later, I was told my car was ready. Now you know what had happened. The big scratch is still there! I found the manager and tried to get an explanation from him. This is what he told me: this is not a scratch, this is a dent. We do not fix dent since we do not have the matching paint. Can you tell me what is difference between a scratch and a dent? See the picture below. Tell me about it! We have argued a few minutes before I decided to take off. The money has already been paid. If argued a hour longer, maybe I will get some of my money back. But it is already time to pick up my kids from school.

This is another lesson that I should never listen to any auto repair guy. Don’t trust “the new technology”, nor any other terms I don’t understand. Another lesson, don’t pay in advance before you see the result! Once the money is out of your pocket, it is hard to get it back.

Are you going to buy jeans from the striking online store? Yes, I have discovered two great online shopping web sites to buy jeans at great prices. Some are discounted up to 50%. Why not logon to TrueReligionBrandJeans.com and Levi.com for a great selection of jeans, as well as other great clothing and accessories. I was just looking for jeans and found all of these other great products too. My shopping experience with these two companies was fantastic. I have to let you know so you can have a trouble free shopping experience like I did.

I went looking for jeans to buy online. These two brand names jumped out at me because I know the quality of their products are fantastic and there is a great range of styles and colors. Even if you don’t want to buy anything on your first visit make sure you sign up for both sites email newsletters. It is so quick and easy; just enter your name and email address and next thing you know there are some great offers coming your way. There are promotional codes that offer special prices to newsletter members only. Before you complete your purchase just add the promo code in and there is your discount.

Let me tell you about Levi.com. What a great site they have made. It is so easy to navigate around. There is a picture of every item of clothing. Whether you are buying jeans for yourself, your man, your kids or even babies, there is something for everyone. I wanted a new pair of blue denims. Not sure of what to buy I headed straight to the “Find your curve” page. It asked two simple questions about how curvy my hips were and how curvy and robust my seat was. Then it offers up a suggestion for the style. I found my right fit and they are perfect. I will buy jeans this way again.

The jeans are separated into different styles too. You can buy leggings, Skinny, Straight cut, Bootcut and Flares. They are also in low, mid or high rise to give you the perfect look. There are also best sellers, best rated (by you the customer) and Editor’s pick. There are always discounts in the Editor’s picks so you need to check that out too.

But before you leave Levi.com have a quick look at the sales pages. Wow was I impressed, up to 50% off and more. Who could resist that sort of bargain? Some were even under $20! And not just jeans either, there is something on sale in menswear, women’s wear and kids clothing. There is something on sale to suit everyone. Click on Sale then on the sign below and before you know it you have found a great discounted piece of clothing.

I found a pair of jeans that were less than half price. Wasn’t I a happy shopper that day. It is the first page I go to now when I visit Levi.com. Be sure to look at their other great products too. They also sell tops, jackets, vests, shorts, skirts and dresses. If you need a bag to compliment your jeans they have those too.

Another great feature is the feedback box. Let them know what you thought of the site and how easy it was to find exactly what you wanted. If you have suggestions they will accept those too. Overall shopping online at Levi.com is a great experience. They prepare you order and post straight away. I didn’t have long to wait before I was wearing my new jeans.

The other great jeans web site I found belongs to True Religion Brand Jeans. Just add a dot com to the name and there they are. The TrueReligionBrandJeans.com web site is full of great clothing as well. It has pictures of all the clothing for men, women and children. I was after something a bit different and they had exactly what I wanted. A pair of jeans with lots of over stitching to wear to a party is what I was looking. I found the perfect pair as you can see from the picture below.

There is also multiple rows of stitching on the inside leg seams. They also have jeans for the whole family with a great range of styles to choose from.  The styles are leggings, Skinny, Straight leg, Bootcut, Flare, Trouser and wide leg, Boyfriend, Cropped and Petite. What a great choice to choose from. They also have a page to choose your style and fit. The jeans come in short, medium and long lengths.

It is so easy to use this web site and they too have a great collection of other clothes. You can buy shirts, T-shirts, vest, jackets, varsity jackets, hoodies, swim wear, shoes and hats. All the styles come in a great range of colors and looks. They have over dyed jeans and corduroy as well. My next visit will be for a pair of over dyed jeans. They look great with their two colour combinations. You can be dressed from top to toe in True Religion Brand Jeans outfits. They have men’s and women’s fragrances and shoes to finish off the look.

You need to join up at TrueReligionBrandJeans.com for their email newsletter. This way you will receive great offers and discount prices that are only available to members.

So, if you are looking for a great pair of jeans at an even greater price you need to have a look at these two web sites, Levi.com and TrueReligionBrandJeans.com. And if there is a friend’s birthday coming up and you don’t know what to get them, how about a gift card? You can even have them sent to your friend. Even when your best friend or close relative is having a baby, both stores have the cutest little jeans and tops and baby gift packs. No decision could be easier.

Remember Levi.com and TruereligionBrandJeans.com for the best range and the best price for jeans.

What is Hair Made Of?

Hair is made up of the protein Keratin.  There are three layers in each strand of hair.

1. The cuticle – this is the layer that protects the outer and inner layers and is colorless.
2. The cortex – this is the layer that gives you the color of your hair depending on the amount of melanin it contains. The higher the melanin levels, the darker the hair colour.
3. The medulla – The inner most layer that gives you the various tones of color by reflecting light.

You will notice that as you age, the texture of your hair changes and the amount of melanin drops which causes the greying of hair. You will also see that your hair becomes thinner and sparser.

Well here are some tips and tools that can make you look perfect all the time.  Let’s start with the basics. It is important to choose the right product for your hair i.e. shampoo and conditioner. If you have thin hair, choose a shampoo and conditioner that will increase the volume of your hair.  If you have frizzy hairs choose a shampoo and conditioner that designed especially to tame your frizz.  You might also need some polishing oil to keep the frizz under control.

These are some essentials that you cannot go without:

• Hair dryer with diffuser
• Flat Iron also known as Hair Straightener
• Curling Irons
• Polishing Oil
• Gel and Mousse

I’m going to discuss each of these individually.

Hair Dryer with diffuser

This is especially perfect for people with curly or wavy hair.  The diffuser is usually attached to the end of a standard hair dryer and works by evenly distributing heat in the hair.  The best way to use the diffuser is to add some mousse in your hair whilst it is still hot. Then bend forward and turn your head towards the floor.  Use the diffuser in circular motions at the root of your hair until it is semi dry.  Lift your head up and do the same – use the diffuser in circular motions on the root of your hair.  Turn your hair dryer onto a cool setting and blast your hair to give it additional shine. Then use some polishing oil or mousse and scrunch your hair.  The difference between using a standard hair dryer and a diffuser is that a standard hair dryer makes the hair frizzy; the diffuser instead creates even curls and waves. Check out www.folica.com.  They are offering $40 off if you upgrade your hairdryer or flat iron or 15% off for products that have reviews of four stars or more.

You can also find the X5 SUPERLITE HAIR DRYER 1875 WATTS 7008 which won the Reader’s Choice Launchpad Award at 50% off at Beauty.com. They offer same day shipping. Having had curly and frizzy hair myself, I have used this product and purchased it from folica.com before I discovered the discount offered by Discount Beauty Center.

Flat Iron or Straightener

Do you have unruly hair? Thick and Frizzy? Need a new look?  Well then the Flat Iron will be perfect for you.   Whatever type of hair you have, whether it’s wavy, curly thick and coarse, you need to choose the right Flat Iron for your hair type. Using the wrong flat iron will damage your hair. Flat irons are very versatile and can be used to even create waves and curls.  If you straighten your hair on a daily basis, it is important to invest in a good quality flat iron.  It also pays to use a product to protect your hair with a hair polisher like the Moroccan Oil Hair Treatment for $38.00 on Amazon.  It protects and restores damaged hair due to over processing or damage from environmental factors.

For the traveller, Beauty.com offers mini straighteners.  Though they are not discounted, this site offers a range of flat irons in different price ranges from the budget user to the professional salon range. You can choose the price range you want and select the item you want.  I found this mini flat iron extremely classy and attractive to look at and it was perfect when I was travelling on business trips.

If you go to our website you can find coupons for flat irons at 60% off with free shipping as well.

Curling Irons

Well as human beings we are never satisfied with what we have.  Women with straight hair want curly hair and vice versa.  It’s also great for women with unruly curls.  Curling irons help create beautiful and even curls to make you look stunning with sexy hair.  As mentioned, I have curly, frizzy and unruly hair and I have used these irons on special occasions for beautiful bouncy curls together with the Moroccan oil I purchased from Amazon.

There are many types of curling irons for different uses.  For the beginner, Spring curling irons are the most popular type of curling iron as it is easy to use.  This is a great starting curling tool if you are unsure of how curling iron works.  The iron is used by wrapping your hair over the barrel and using the catch and release functions on the iron.

Double and Triple Barrel Curling Irons (Wavers)

There are the Double or triple barrel curling irons which create beautiful waves that last a long time.  Instead of creating curls, they actually create waves.  Though I have never purchased this product, I have personally been recommended by friends who have used it and they just create that sexy look.

Once again, choosing the right iron is important.  Amazon is currently offering a 60% discount off their Conair’s Instant Heating iron.  This curling iron heats up in less than a minute and has 25 heat settings. It is great for creating large or medium curls. Use it in conjunction with GarnierFructis Style Curl Scrunch Gel, you will get those bouncy curls that hold for a longer period of time. The best feature of this curling iron which turns the iron off automatically when left unattended.  Amazon also offers a two year warranty on this product.

No more bad hair days with the right product

Hair tools help you to achieve the look you want, as you maintenance of healthy hair is very important; you need to protect your hair with the right hair products.  It is important to use a heat protecting serum when using a curling iron or flat iron.  Using a leave-in conditioner when using a hair dryer will protect your hair from damage.  It is also important to use a deep conditioning hair mask at least once a week to restore and repair your hair from any damages caused by styling tools or environmental factors.  I would personally recommend the Moroccan Oil which is available from Amazon at a decent price or the GarnierFructis style Curl Scrunch Gel if you have curly hair like mine.

Saving money is one of those skills that everyone should possess in order to lead a happy and peaceful life. But, even after strict financial planning and budgeting, many people end up spending much money than they are saving due to certain pitfalls. These pitfalls are the mistakes that people make while trying to save money fast and ignoring the smart money saving decisions. Let’s take a look at the top ten money-saving mistakes and smart ways to avoid them.

1.Always Buy the Cheapest
One of the most recommended methods to save money is buying cheap products. But, some cheap products don’t save you money in a long run. Some of the cheaper products available in the market are made of poor-quality materials and do not last long. Thus, you have to buy those products again, which is certainly a waste of money and overspending. So, before buying the cheapest product, it is wise to determine the quality of the product by checking the reviews and ratings. Also, don’t buy cheap underwear, bras, furniture, cookware, bedding, etc. Since, these products are used by us in our daily lives, and using the cheaper quality products may tumble your budget, as well as health and hygiene.

2.Impulsive Buys
Impulsive buying is an enemy of monthly budget or money saving strategy. Most of the people can’t control their impulsive buying urge when they visit a store or a website that offers discounted items. Since, they consider that buying a discounted item is a way to save money, but they often end up buying unnecessary items and spending much money. The trick to overcome the impulsive buying is to give it some thought. If you think about the impulsive buying, then you can realize that urge of impulsive buying is dangerous for your money saving goals. Also, by realizing the consequences of impulsive buying, you can use the simple strategies to avoid impulsive buying.

3.Never Change Bank and Credit Card
Most of the people preach that one must never change bank and credit card as it affects the credit score and credibility of a person. However, the fact is, sticking to one bank or a credit card is like putting all eggs in one basket. You don’t get any benefit by sticking to one bank or credit card company, while switching one will get you some bonus cash or mileage. There are many banks that offer free checking account and a ready-made bank switching kit without any requirements. So, find the profitable bank or credit card company by comparing the fees and facilities offered by the different banks and credit card companies.

4.Cheap Insurances
One of the most common mistakes most of the people do to save money is to choose the cheapest insurances. Insurance act as a shield to protect and compensate the expenditure caused due to certain circumstances such as accidents and theft. Most of the cheap insurances that are available in the market do not provide adequate insurance coverage. Thus, in case of a major financial liability situation, you will have to pay the penalties and fulfill the liabilities or suffer the court case. So, instead of buying cheap insurance, you must choose the insurance policy that offers better coverage as long as it is under your budget, not the cheapest! It is common sense to compare the cost of insurance policies offered by the different insurance companies to find the best insurance policy at lower cost, but how much time are you willing to spend on doing the research? The more research you have done, the best deal you will get. And don’t forget to ask your friends and your colleagues for advices.

5.Stick to One Insurance Company
Most of the people choose to stay with the same insurance company for two reasons. One is that they thought their premium will go down with time. Second, they are too lazy to change. If you think you are going to save some money by sticking to one insurance company for years, you are absolutely wrong. The premium will go up year by year even if your driving record is perfect or you did not file any claim. They won’t give you any reason, and the coverage is still the same. You would end up with $50 to $100 more expensive every 6 months to one year. The only way to avoid this is to SWITCH the insurance company!

6.Pay Bills before You Read It
Most of the people schedule their bill payments via online bill pay method for easy budgeting. However, paying bills before reading is one of the most common money saving mistakes. By reading the bill, you can determine whether the company has charged you for the right expenses. Also, it will help you to determine whether the bill includes any hidden fees and charges. So, always read all your bills, including electricity, water, gas, cable, phone bills as well as bank statement and credit card statement, and uncover the fees you shouldn’t be paying.

7.Never Check the Receipt
It is very common for all of us to put the receipt in the bag or a pocket without even looking at it. But, it is recommended that you must always check the receipt after leaving the counter or getting back to home. To err is human. Therefore, there are chances that the cashier has not scanned the item properly or the cashier has forgotten to deduct the sale percentage from the retail price of an item. So, it is wise to check the receipts cautiously after leaving the cash counter.

8.You think it is cheap, paying $0.99 for an app?
Nobody gives a thought before buying any app that cost $0.99 as it never hurts your budget in a short run. But, in a long run, frequent small expenses often turn out to be one of the reasons for the budget fail. So, before buying any app, you should ask yourself why you need it and how often you will use it. You can also look for the similar free apps that are available for your mobile or computer.

9.Buy 3 and get 1 free – it is not a good deal!
Due to the eye-catching marketing and advertisement methods, it is inevitable to resist the buying urge for most of the people. One of the good traps laid by the business promoters is something like “Buy 3 and get 1 free” offer. These types of offers always cost more than their actual value and do not help in saving money. Say one pack is $10, but you end up getting 4 of them at $30. You really think you saved $10? The fact is you spend extra $20 and every store is happy to see that. So, choose to avoid such offers, unless you are piling up certain product.

10.Pay in installments? You will overspend!
There is no doubt that paying in installments for an item seems less than the onetime payment. But, most people exploit this facility by buying unnecessary items and causing an extra burden on the monthly budget. By committing to pay by installments for any product, you are also spending the money which you don’t have. In addition, most of the installments come with the maintenance and interest fees. So, you must avoid paying in installments for any product or item as it results in overspending.

Admit it or not, the number one reason that marriages fail is money according to researchers. Other significant reasons include lack of communications, too much arguing, infidelity, marrying too young, unrealistic expectations, sex problems, and abuse. But do you realize that most of these reasons also involved with money problems in some extent? One may not tell the other where they their money, one may be arguing what they should or should not buy, one may expect him or she to make more money. It is very true that money can’t make you marriage life happier, but it is also true that without money your marriage will be miserable. But more importantly, the money problem here isn’t about lack of money, but how couples manage their money problems.

Tell your spouse before you buy
Isn’t it every man or woman should be doing? But apparently not everybody. My suggestion is that if you are going to spend more than $10 other than your regular grocery spending, call your husband or your wife and let he/she know since everyone has a cell phone now. it could be as small as kid toy or a few pairs of socks. Tell your spouse everything you are spending. If you forgot before checking out, at least you can tell him/her afterwards, sooner the better.

Spend money on your spouse
Don’t forget buy something special for your beloved one. When you bought a $400 dress, don’t forget to to buy him a $5 t-shirt. Or when husband bought himself the new iPad, don’t forget to get your wife a new lovely iPhone case. Gifting isn’t about the amount of money, but your heart.

Save money with your spouse
If you are used to collect coupons and use them regually in stores while your husband isn’t, that is read flag in your marriage. Both of you should have similar money spending habit.

Plan spending with your spouse
Plan your retirement goal together. Plan kids college fund together. Actually you should be planing everything about money together with your spouse, big or small.

Talk about spending with your spouse
There is no need to hide anything from your spouse. If you did, there got be something wrong. Tell him I bought a new panty today without thinking, tell her I bought every of my colleages a cup of coffee. You may not be agreeing with each other, but as long as you are frank to each other your marriage is safe.

Every parent wants to buy the best things in the world for their kids. But, not all the parents are fortunate enough to afford the best things for their kids. So, they often face the situation in which they have to tell their kids that they can’t afford it. If you also face such situation, then it is important for you to understand that telling your kids “We Can’t Afford It” may set achy feeling in their mind. Telling your kids that you can afford something can also affect the psyche of kids as they can’t understand why you can’t afford to buy something.

Most parents believe that when they can’t afford to buy something for their kids, they should be honest with their kids. However, telling the kids more than they actually need to know often infuriate them as they take things at face value, not because how much that thing cost. Therefore, telling your kids that you can’t afford it is certainly a terrible answer. Here’s a few smart ways to tell your kids that you can’t afford something without upsetting them.

Don’t Say “We can’t afford it”

With the holiday season coming, it would be a tough situation for the parents to tell their kids that they can’t afford it. So, instead of telling your kids that you can’t afford it, you could tell them that “we don’t choose to spend our money in that way”. Experts believe that using the word ‘choose’ acknowledges the effort and emotion that goes into determining the best way to manage expenditure. It also gives the sense of understanding the value of money. So, by using the right words, you can teach your kids about how to manage the money in the rightful way. The better understanding of managing money can help your kids in their future for leading a happy life.

Food and Toilet Paper are More Important

Whether you can’t afford to buy any particular item that your kid desire or you don’t want to spoil your kid for obvious reasons, you can’t just say no to your kid. Since, saying “no” or “we can’t afford it” will make them unhappy, and they will probably throw a tantrum. So, making your kids understand the difference between the requirement and desire of things is another best way to say “we can’t afford it” or “no”. You can explain the understanding of required things by giving an example of food and toilet paper. Since, food and toilet paper are included in our daily requirements. This type of understanding will certainly help your kid to grow as a smart buyer and understand the value of money.

We Will Come Back Later

Pleading and begging for buying certain things are obvious when you are taking your kid for any type of shopping. In such situation, it is hard for any parent to convince their kids why they are not buying any particular thing. Therefore, the best way is to tell your kid that you can’t afford it is to delay buying. Most of the kids covet things on the basis of their appearance or if other kids have the same thing. The desired based on irrational thoughts are often forgotten by the kids. So, by telling your kids “we will come back later”, you can easily say “no” to your kids in the smartest way without breaking their heart or hurting their feelings.

Toys and Gifts are for Birthday or Christmas

No matter what you do, a kid will often ask or demand for new toys and gifts. The demands of a kid for new toys or gifts often turn into whining and arguing. In such situation, most of the parents believe that most of the kids demand due to the character flaws, so it is better to ignore or dismiss their demands. But, it is not the right thing to do as it may upset your kid in a bitter way. Therefore, instead of dismissing or saying no to their demands, you can tell your kids that toys and gifts are for birthday or Christmas. By telling the kids that toys and gifts are for special occasions, you are acknowledging their demand and not dismissing it. It also conveys a message to kids that they can’t demand for toys and gift, unless it’s any special occasion.

Next Time You Can Have Two
Dealing with the demands of kids is certainly a big issue for the parents. If you find yourself in a similar situation where you can’t fulfill the demands of your kids, then you can make an offer your kids can’t refuse. If you have ever seen the “Godfather” movie, then you will probably remember the epic line of Don Carleone – “I’m going to make an offer he can’t refuse”. So, telling the kids that next time you can have two is certainly a luring offer. Most of the kids will smilingly accept that offer as they don’t give any rational thoughts about their demands and offers.

Let’s Go Find a Better Deal

Telling your kids “let’s go find a better deal” is a better way than saying “we can’t afford it”. Most of the kids will not understand why you can’t afford anything. Moreover, telling them the budget and economy slowdown is certainly the waste of time and energy because it’s none of their concern. Thus, by telling your kids that let’s go find a better deal, you are acknowledging their demand and teaching an important lesson of life. You both can look for the best deals on the toys or gifts that you can afford to buy.

Please Use the Money from Your Piggy Bank

If the next time your kid demands something, tell them to use the money from their piggy bank. By telling your kids to use the money from piggy bank instead of saying no or you can’t afford it, you are making your kids to understand that everything is not easily affordable. It also encourages the kids to save money so that they can buy the things they desire. It will also help your kids understand the value of money, and how much effort is required to save the money, which certainly help them in their future.

You wear watch everyday, and it tells people about your taste and parts of your personality. That’s why everyone is very picky when choosing a watch, which is especially true for men. If you have your favorite brand in mind, you should go straight online and buy one from a trustworthy store. Most of these online stores offer free shipiing and free return, so there is no need to worry if it turns out that you don’t like it. If you are not sure what to buy, go to a jewelry store – any one in your shopping mall, and try them on. Even if saleman tell you how good the deal is, don’t buy it from stores. Go online and compare prices online, it should save you at least 50% when you shop online!

Sports Watches

Casio Men’s SGW100B-3V, only $45.36 at Amazon. This is so far the best watch I bought for my 10 year old boy. He always loved a digial watch. We have bought a few from Walmart with prices from $8.99 to $14.99. But none of them can last more than 6 months. One was left in my swimming pool for a few days, one was broken when he fell off his bicycle. I finally decided to get him a better one. This Casio SGW100B-3V is a men’s watch, but it fits OK on my boy. The best part is that it comes with a compass and a therometer, which is kinda of like a toy to him.

The above one is a Casio Men’s AWG100-1A G-Shock Multi-Band Solar Atomic Analog Watch, sold at Amazon for $130! It is the best rated Casio watch I have seen at Amazon. Why? First of all, it is a G-shock. Second, it is a solar watch – no batteries needed forever! Thir, and more importantly, it is an atomic watch, which means it can receive time calibration radio signals (from US, UK, Germany, Japan) to keep the time accurate. If you need to travel to China, you’d better get a Casio GW3000B Serie watch which allows to sync time in China in addition to US, UK, Germany and Japan.

Fashion Watches

If you are looking for something different, visit Stauer.com and see their self-branded watches for under $200. The above antique look automatic watch has 27 jewels built-in, and it is only $149! Actually I wouldn’t be surprised if the price is tagged as $999, or even $1999. There arn’t too many choices at Stauer, but every one is a master piece and can’t be found at any other store.

Casual Watches

There is no solid line between a dress watch and a casual watch. Call it a dress watch when you dress formal or a casual watch on casual dress Friday. Shop around to get a good price. Don’t forget to check out eWatches.com and MrWatch.com’s daily deals. The prices of those deals are usually 50% lower than their original sale prices, but only last 24 hours. For example, the above Swiss Legend Men’s Commander Chronograph Yellow Dial Black Silicone is only $75 today at eWatches.com, the lowest price on the entire internet! Today at MrWatch.com, the super deal is the following Swiss Precimax SP12018 Deep Blue Executive watch – only $59.99, which is 90% off the original price! The exact same one is $98.99 at Overstock.com, or $131.99 at Buy.com.

Luxury Watches

Luxury dress watch is every man’s dream, even though one may not admit it. Please don’t get a Rolex, it looks cheap on you, although the price is not cheap. There are hundreds of them to choose from at Ashford.com, the rich guys’ favorite place to shop for luxury dress watches – not the place for me though. Brands include Bulgary, Zenith, Corum, Armand Nicolet, Breitling, and many more, with prices range from $1000 to $30,000. Check out the above Corum watch, now $5720, instead of $11,000 at Zales. Perfect as an aniversery gift, isn’t it? Bluenile.com is another place for luxury pieces. If you can find one in their clearance, you definitely found yourself a good deal.

Starting from 10 years ago, I have been used to buy books from Amazon. I knew they had much lower prices than those in book stores. And starting from 2 or 3 years ago, I have been used to search everything at Amazon. I even downloaded a Amazon app for my iPhone. Every time I shopped at the stores, especially those big items, I will use the app to scan the bar code to compare the price from Amazon. Half of the time I will end up buying from Amazon, but the other half time, Amazon does not have the best prices, especially if you live in state of Kansas, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, or Washington where you will be charged state sales tax. The worse part is that Amazon is forced to close many warehouses in many states in order to avoid sales tax, which makes its shipping much slower than it used to be.

Any way, let me tell what products you should not buy from Amazon. When you search the product from Google or Bing, the first result popped out is very likely from Amazon. But that doesn’t mean they have best price. Here is my experiences that you should not buy from Amazon.

Books

Many book stores offer lower prices than Amazon, because everybody is watching the prices at Amazon. For example, the popular paperback Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7) is $50.85 at Amazon, while it is $45.05 at Alibris, $47.42 at Overstock.com, $48 at TextbookX.com, $50.42 at Booksamillion.com and $50.69 at Walmart.com. See what I mean? If you are OK with second hand books, try Half.com then.

Bedding and Bath
Everybody knows Linene N Things and Bed and Bath Store. But really there is no point to shop at these two stores, because their prices are always the highest according to my experiences. Overstock.com is the one I will shop for my bedding needs whether it is bath tower, bathrobe, or pillow case. Don’t forget to use the coupon here. There are a few 5% or 7% off coupons for your entire order.

Toys

Talking about toys, I have been very disappointed with Amazon lately. Now the only reason I shop for toys at Amazon is that they have some very hard to find toys. I have noticed that Toys at Walmart, K-Mart, Target are already the lowest prices. If they are on sale, you can be assured that you won’t find better deals at Amazon. See the above Beyblade IR Spin Galaxy Pegasus? It is the most beloved toys by boys these days. It is $53.55 at Amazon, but it is only $34.96 at Walmart, $34.99 at K-Mart, $42.83 at Buy.com.

Fitness Equipment

Fitness equipment are expensive. Even if you did a price search at Goolge, you won’t be able to find the best price, because not every merchant will list their products at Google. You should try different price search engines every time you shop. For example, this Diamondback Fitness 510Sr Recumbent Exercise Bike is $799 at Amazon, same price as many other sports retailer, such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Big Fitness. But at Mercantila.com or Zoostores.com, you only pay for $678.03 for the exact same item!

Computers & Electronics

If you could find the TV model you need at Walmart, Costco, or Sams Club, don’t hesitate, you have already found the lowest price. Otherwise try to find your favorite TV at TigerDirect.com or B&H Photo Video, they usually have lower prices than other stores. For example, this Samsung UN55D7000 55-Inch 3D TV is $1829.88 at Amazon. But guess what? You can get it for $1,599.00 at B&H Photo Video!

Before I end this post, I have to make myself clear that I still love Amazon, actually half of my online orders are from Amazon. I buy batteries, iPad cases, cables, Casio watches, printer papers, small office items, shoes, vitamins and hundreds of other items from Amazon. What I am trying to say is that you should do price comparison before you order from Amazon.

Admit it or not, no kid can resist video games. Due to the realistic graphics and entertainment abilities of gaming devices, many kids and teens are indulged in the video games. The video games have taken away the time that could be used by the kids to play different types of other games that could help them to learn various skills and physical strength. Being a parent, it is important that you should intervene smartly to develop your kid’s interest in other activities that could benefit them in a certain way.

First you must determine the games that your kid may find interesting. Since, if your kid does not find the game interesting, then he or she will probably prefer to go back and play the digital video games. In addition, you must also conclude whether that particular game can benefit your child. Following are the few interesting activities/games that can surely benefit your child in many ways.

Classic Toys
Classic toys do sound like you are talking about the 80s or even 70s games. But, no, there are many classic games such as MindWare and LEGO. MindWare and LEGO are some of the nation’s best educational toy makers that can help the kids to learn with the entertainment. Check out the all time best seller Qwirkle by MindWare as well as their Imaginets, Q-bitz, and many other. Legos can help the kids to develop skills to make creating things with creativity and improve their patience.

Bicycling
Everybody knows the benefit of bicycling. Bicycle riding is one of the easiest ways to exercise. It can help to tone and improve the strength of muscles. It also helps in improving the stamina as experts suggests that bicycle riding improves the cardio-vascular system. Bicycle riding will help your kid to learn the road rules for safe driving. In simple words, bicycling helps in improving the overall health of the body. You can take your kid on a weekend bicycle trip to nearby places. You can also plan the picnic to the nearest location and travel there on the bicycle.

Hiking
Hiking is good for health, and it is a challenging activity. Proper motivation and positive approach for hiking can help your child in many ways. Hiking helps in improving the health of heart, lungs and blood vessels. It also improves the muscular strength and fitness of the body. However, persuading your kid to enjoy the hiking is really a tough nut to crack. But, with the little smart decision, you can easily make hiking an interesting activity for your kid. You can ask your kid to invite a friend along for hiking for the fun. You can also plan for geocaching catching that includes finding a hidden treasure. Don’t forget to bring lots of goodies and snacks to keep your kid interested in the hiking.

Fishing
By fishing, your kid can learn how to be patient and focus on the goal. To persuade kids for fishing, it is wise to plan a family trip to nearest lake or pond. You can also ask your kid to help you in assembling the fishing rod to develop the curiosity for fishing in your kid.

Team Sports
Team sports are ideal way to indulge your kids in outdoor activities. Team sports are interesting, competitive and fun for kids. Experts also believe that team sports helps in boosting the self-esteem in kids. Many researches have shown that organized or team sports help the kids in improving the physical fitness and mental health. Team sports also help the kids to learn social skills as it needs in coordinating and maintain the healthy relationship with fellow team members. There are many team sports such as football, soccer, basketball and baseball that your kid might love to play.

Movies
Watching movies is one of the best entertainment sources for the most of the people. Thus, taking your kids for the theaters to keep them away from video games is certainly a wise thought. Taking your kids for the movies can not only help your kids to stay away from video games, but also help building a better father/mother-son/daughter relationship.

Shopping
Shopping for new dress or toy can certainly keep your kids away from the video games. Since, most of the kids always love to buy the new things. Taking your kids for shopping with you will help them to learn how to shop efficiently. It will also help your kids to learn to choose the right things that you need. You can always take the opinion of your kid to choose the product to develop the interest and understanding. While shopping, you can also teach them why you are purchasing certain products or items.

Reading
Reading to your children is beneficial in many ways, including keeping them away from video games. Reading to your kid improves the communication between you and your kid. It also helps the kids to achieve the positive attitude as they grow up. Experts believe that kids who are exposed to language by hearing different words that are read to him or her tend to do well in school.

Playmate
Being a parent, it is your responsibility to become a playmate to help your child in many different ways. Like any other learning techniques, being a playmate opens the various means of communication between you and your child. In addition, it also helps to develop the understanding between you and your child. Being a playmate, you can also motivate your child to do many things that can help them to develop many types of skills and intelligence.

Travel
Taking your kids on educational tour or travel can benefit your kid, as well as a parent. Traveling with your kid will be like spending a quality time together. Educational travel will help you and your child to learn new things, which will certainly increase the knowledge. It will also improve the understanding in the children about the different cultures.