December 2012 | Miki's Hope

It’s New Years Eve !!

Monday, December 31, 2012


Another year has come and gone—According to some stat I saw somewhere recently I have been blogging for almost a year now-WOW. (Why do I think it has been longer?) And to think I didn’t think I could do it----but then that has never stopped me!! Of course I had people egging me on------and then there is that stubborn streak that is a big part of who I am.

I remember my very first post—it was about getting children to read and a great charity called First Book. Originally I had the thought in my mind that I wanted to blog about books and charitites—and I was not going to worry about making money on my blog—I had a website (which I will be letting go of in 2013 cause I really don’t make a cent on it). Did I know what I was doing? NO and still don’t if the truth be told—but now-a year later I’m reviewing books and the occasional website and have guest posts on my blog and of course giveaways. And when the mood strikes me—about any topic that catches my attention. I still really do not want to do product reviews and do them very rarely and only for friends or if I really like a product I have come across that is so good I can’t resist and want the world to know.

I lost my cat Gremlin who I wrote about a lot originally—he was a character. Now I have Baby-my current cat who is a tyrant—she gets her meows in on occasion. This furry lady is very vocal. I developed Diabetes and got it under control in 1 month –I really despise taking medications-(there is that stubborn streak being used for a good cause!)-I would like to thank all my internet friends who gave me all the great info and the internet itself where I found LOTS of info—yes, I blogged about that as well and will continue to do so. I am a bookkeeper so of course my readers will occasionally get some info about those topics as well!!

Okay—enough—I just want to thank each and every one of you who visits my blog (and my facebook pages) – and wish EVERYONE a Happy and Prosperous and most of all a Healthy New Year now-since Baby will have me tucked under the covers well before the ball falls in Times Square!! See you all in 2013!!










I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

And the winner of the $25 PP-Hoppin for the Holidays is...

Sunday, December 30, 2012

This contest is officially over--There were 828 comments entered!! Thank you one and all!! And the number that was picked at Random.org---#35

moo77hb said... 35

Heidi

December 13, 2012 8:04 AM

Congratulations Heidi!! You are the winner of the $25 Paypal in the Hoppin' for the Holidays Giveaway Hop!! Now all you have ti do is reply to the email I will be sending in just a few minutes with your PayPal url and I will send the winnings to you!!



I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

And the winner of the e-book from JW Nichols Guestpost is.....

This contest is officially over--the winner is #9

Ken Ohl said... 9

the authors favorite song is Bach's Air on the G String. Thankyou, Ken pohl19@comcast.net
December 23, 2012 7:56 AM

Congratulations Ken! I will be emailing you in just a few minutes. Just reply to that email within 48 hours confirming the email you would like to use and I will send your info to the publisher who will be sending you a copy of the e-book The Apocalypse of Hagren Roose.




I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

$25 Outback Steakhouse GC-Lucky '13 New Years Giveaway Hop-US Only-Ends 1/12

Saturday, December 29, 2012

This contest is officially closed! There were 1059 comments-Thank you everyone!! The number picked at Random.org is #412

scottsgal said... 412

Bonefish is one of our favorite restaurants so we'd use it there

December 31, 2012 10:42 AM

Congratulations to Scottsgal-you are the winner of the $25 Outback Steakhouse GC which you will probably be using at Bonefish--All you have to do now is to reply within 48 hours to the email I will send you in just a few minutes with your full name and mailing address and I will mail it out to you.


Welcome to the LUCKY ’13 New Years Giveaway Hop hosted by BloggerPR!

What better way to start the New Year then to eat at one of my favorite restaurants-Outback Steakhouse--I really love their steak--but of course they have lots of other delicious items on their menus--think Bloomin' Onion-and have you ever tried one of their drinks? To die for--even though I normally order them non-alcoholic!!-and that honey wheat bread served warm--I think I will be going there soon-they have a steak salad that is calling my name. Maybe I will use their curbside takeout----


This $25 gift certificate can also be used at the Bonefish Grill, Roys Carrabba's or Flemings if you prefer one of those-or if heaven forbid you do not have an Outback near where you live!!

Now--------Want it? Well please remember to put your email address in each and every comment you make

Mandatory: In a comment tell me which restaurant you would most likely use
this gift card.

Extra: Follow me on GFC (to the right)
Follow me on Facebook
Follow me on Linky Followers (to the right)
Subscribe to my email and/or rss (up top)
Like this post
Tweet this post (once daily)

Now since this is a hop---go check out and enter all the other great blogs on the linky below!!

And here is wishing you and yours a peaceful, happy and prosperous New Year!!



I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

You Vs. The Cost Of Living

Friday, December 28, 2012

"Cost of Living" is a phrase that most people would prefer to never have to hear again, yet it happens to be a huge part of life. Most people know that they'll only be hurting themselves by ignoring their cost of living and allowing themselves to overspend, but it is perhaps a part of human nature to let this happen regardless. Whether you are single or have a family, however, doing so can be extremely problematic.


Instead of ignoring the cost of living, however, it can be beneficial to start battling against it. A fight between you and the cost of living isn't going to be easily won, but if you take the right steps, you can emerge victorious.

Formulate a Budget

The first thing you'll want to do is formulate a baseline budget to help you determine exactly how much it costs for you to live your preferred lifestyle. Granted, this should not include splurging on expensive wines on a daily basis, but it's okay to leave yourself a little bit of leeway so that you can enjoy the finer things on occasion. While you can formulate a budget at home, there's no better way to do so than to work with a financial adviser. A financial adviser who is experienced in budget planning can make all the difference in the world in terms of how you go about spending your money, and it doesn't have to be as expensive to work with one as you might think. In the end, you'll save money if you have a professional on your side.

Get the Right Credit Card

A lot of people who have had financial difficulty in the past find themselves being rather terrified of credit cards, and for good reason. After all, no one wants to end up in serious debt, and being irresponsible with a credit card can often cause this to occur. Rewards credit cards, on the other hand, can be help you to save money on everyday purchases and thus win the battle with cost of living.

Combined with the right savings account (be sure to look for the best interest rate on savings accounts), a rewards-based card can help to get you ahead if it is utilized correctly. Just be sure to avoid overspending whenever possible, as this can be the downfall of this concept.

Take Steps Towards Living Frugally

No one wants to eat packaged ramen for dinner every night, and nor should anyone have to. In order to save money and beat the cost of living, though, you might want to consider living a more frugal lifestyle than you're used to. Buying things in bulk, skipping high-end items and cooking at home are just three ways to ensure that you aren't spending a great deal of money unnecessarily, and living frugally doesn't have to mean living an uncomfortable lifestyle.

The cost of living may seem like an epic opponent, but it can be defeated rather quickly if the right steps are taken.







For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Bartering is a Time Honored Tradition


Bartering has been going on for a very long time in one form or another. The simplest definition of bartering which appears in many references I looked at is “To trade goods or services without the exchange of money.” Yes, I have bartered my bookkeeping services for services I needed that were preformed by others a couple of times. And I am about to do it again.

As you may have read in one of my other posts I recently left the job I had in NJ. Now I had to figure out how to write a resume—OOPS—for what ever reason I just could not get it formatted correctly—or I was just fighting myself—So after asking around to see if anyone I knew could write it up for me—I took myself on an internet search. There are virtually 100’s of listings!! I spotted a company that was located in the town I live in—I called the number. This woman definitely seemed to know what she was doing but was about to leave for a meeting so we agreed she should call me back later in the day.

Yes, she called me back. She is much more then a person who just re-writes resumes and writes cover letters. After she described all she does and can do for me--I asked with trepidation-how much. I was floored-----there was no way I could afford her services-although as I assured her I was sure those services were worth every penny. Suddenly there was silence on the phone—she suddenly said to me—“you are a bookkeeper, I happen to need a bookkeeper desperately-would you be willing to barter services”?


I will be meeting with this woman on Jan 5th to write up the details as to what each of us will do and how much each service is worth time wise. Both our problems solved!!

By the way, in case you did not know bartering is a taxable event—as a bookkeeper I feel I have to put this in here. I got this from Wikipedia -
“However the IRS now requires barter exchanges to be reported as per the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982. Barter exchanges are considered taxable revenue by the IRS and must be reported on a 1099-B form. According to the IRS, "The fair market value of goods and services exchanged must be included in the income of both parties."[15]”



I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

It’s Almost THAT Time of Year Again – Taxes

Thursday, December 27, 2012


Preparing my taxes makes me feel like the Tasmanian Devil!!

I am a little better prepared this year then I was last year—but totally lost track of my individual clients somehow—I do have the total BUT—now will have to wait until they either do or don’t send me a 1099. Unfortunately, with Tax software, you have to list separately and individually those that send you a 1099—what a pain!! At least my expenses are in order----Maybe I will just call them (my clients) and walk them through, on the phone, how to see what they gave me this year—I really have to get my taxes in early this year since I no longer have that 3 day a week job in NJ. I have to file 2 Schedule C forms—one for my Bookkeeping Service and one for Internet related monies.

AND—who knows what the tax structure will be—Congress is playing games again--. Will my taxes be higher or lower—did I withhold enough extra when I was working in NJ to cover my NY tax—what about the tax credit for health insurance—will it still be there—Thank heavens I no longer have any monies in the stock market—that form is now a nightmare. I do have a small 401K – but plan on leaving it right where it is for the foreseeable future anyway.

But most important—will the IRS even have enough time to change the forms if there are any changes so that I and I am sure a lot of others can file their taxes as early as possible in order to get their refunds?






I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

$25 PP WW -Christmas Let Down Giveaway Hop - Ends 12/31

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

This contest is officially over!! There were 728 comments-WOW-Thank you 3veryone!! I just got back from Random.org--the winning comment number is 718

janet said... 718

I am following on Facebook

December 31, 2012 9:40 PM

Congratulations Janet!! I will be sending you an email in just a few minutes-all you will have to do is reply within 48 hours with your PayPal url and I will send you the $25!!

Happy New Year to you all -- Wishing everyone a healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year!


christmasletdown

Thank you Planet Weidknecht and Going Crazy Wanna Go for putting this giveaway together!

Well, when this goes live all the presents will have been ripped open-the cats and dogs will have toppled your trees a couple of times and at the very least--pulled down the decorations appropriating them as toys!

So to make all of you feel less of a letdown-and before you have to start clearing all away to begin celebrating the New Year (okay, maybe you will be keeping your trees up for a while longer yet)and to maybe get yourself something that you really wanted-------

Miki's Hope is giving away $25 PayPal Worldwide and Baby my forever complaining cat informed me that this better be a quick one--as a matter of fact she is currently meowing piteously because I am not in the living room with her---I may nominate her for Ms Complainer of the Year Award!


So-just remember to leave your email address in every comment you make so I can contact you if you are the winner!!

Mandatory: In a comment tell me when you take down your holiday decorations

Extra: Follow me on GFC (to the right)
Follow me on Facebook
Subscribe to my Email and/or RSS (up top)
Like this post
Tweet this post (once daily)





I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Mr. Breeze plus Book of Your Choice-WW-Best of 2012 Giveaway Hop-Ends 12/31

This contest is officially closed--Thank you to everyone who entered!! Out of 154 comments the winner is #87

Book Attict said... 87

I'd love to read Iced by Karen Marie Moening.

Happy Holidays & thanks for the amazing giveaway!

December 28, 2012 7:47 PM

Congratulations!! I will be emailing you in just a few minutes--all you have to do is reply within 48 hours with your full name and mailing address so that I can go and order a copy of Mr. Breeze and another book of your choice and have them mailed to you.

Here's wishing each and everyone of you a peaceful, happy and prosperous New Year--



Thank you to I Am a Reader Not a Writer for hosting this blog hop!! Please remember to visit all the blogs on the linky list below --lots of great books and other prizes you can win!!

Hands down--the best book I have read this year is Mr. Breeze written by Morrie Richfield-and I have read a LOT of books.



This is one of the most feel good books around. It just about perfect for the holiday season and the beginning of a New Year. At the moment my copy is circulating through my office. It is taking a while because my co-workers are giving it to their spouses to read!! There is still a sponsored giveaway going on on my blog for a Kindle Fire HD which doesn't end until 1/13/2012. You can read my review if this marvelous book by clicking here.

Because this book can also be purchased at the Book Depository (as long as they ship to your country), I am able to offer this giveaway World Wide!! In addition I will let the one winner pick an additional book of their choice. Please remember to put your email address in each and every comment you make so that I can contact you if you are the winner--

Mandatory: In a comment-please tell me which other book you might choose
(I won't hold you to it!)

Extra: Follow me on GFC (to the right)
Follow me on Facebook
Like the post
Tweet the post (only once)

Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza and a Very Good New Year to all!!














I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

And the winner of Advice is for Winners is...

Sunday, December 23, 2012

This contest is officially closed. The winner of the the book Advice is for winners is #3

shelby brigham said... 3

yes i usually turn to my aunt or mother in law
December 1, 2012 7:35 PM

Congratulations Shelby! All you have to do now is reply to the email I will be sending you in just a few minutes within 48 hours with your full name and mailing address and I will forward it on to the publisher who will be sending you your book direct to you.


I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Love Your Bed Again

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Harder the better

Has there ever been a time when you were thinking of buying a new bed or a new mattress for your existing bed base and people have mentioned that due to the fact that you have a bad back that the best bed for you would be to choose one which is of moderate to high firmness?

I have. I have had people tell me that a firm, orthopedic mattress is what I need to help my back as it does not sag leaving me uncomfortable during the night, but this does not always help as many people have discovered to their cost. Ok! Yes, in many cases there is a 60 home trial on mattresses, but it is a lot of hassle. It is better to get the right one first time, isn’t it?

With ordinary mattresses whether they are firm or not firm will not always prevent the occurrence of dust mites and house mites. These are two incidences which help to cause asthma problems and breathing problems when you are in bed. You do not want this interrupting your sleep.

If this is you and you have a hard mattress and would like to do something about it, you could always learn to enjoy going to bed at night again by buying a memory topper which will make your bed much more comfortable. The memory foam is made of a visco-elastic polyurethane open cell structure. This is the same structure as memory foam mattresses.




All you do is by simply placing your new memory topper on top of you mattress, then make your bed as usual you will have all of the benefits of a memory foam mattress. There are many different versions of memory toppers, from plain flat memory foam, to different thicknesses and ‘egg box’ design.

The Zleeps memory foam mattresses and mattress toppers are hyper allergenic, meaning that they will prevent house and dust mites, they are anti-fungal, most of them come with a removable cover to you to remove it for the wash should you get any stains on the cover. Some of the memory toppers have a 5 year guarantee, so they do last well. But just to be sure, make sure that there is a warranty or guarantee certification with the topper.

The ‘egg box’ design is made so that the air circulates around the topper more efficiently so that you do not sleep hot. This is due to the efficiency of the air circulation in the mattress; it also does the same all the other memory foam mattresses. This mattress will mold to your body shape, is heat sensitive, helps to prevent pressure sores and even helps people who suffer from bad circulation.

The ‘egg box’ design of the topper tends to be favored among people who are in wheelchairs due to the fact when you move on the seat you move position totally so that you are not sitting in the same place for long enough to develop any pressure areas. The technology which helped to create this fantastic, luxurious, sleep inducing foam is fantastic helping you to love your bed and love going to sleep.



All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Mystery Shopping – Is It for You?

Friday, December 21, 2012


I was asked about Mystery Shopping in a comment on one of my blog posts-here is my answer!!

Not everyone will enjoy Mystery Shopping—and it is a job—you actually have to do some work. I Mystery shopped for about a year until the gas prices went through the roof and did enjoy it. You get to use your acting abilities as you browse a store, or order meals or many other activities so no one catches on that YOU are a mystery shopper! It helps to have a good memory or a portable recorder which is small enough to hide on your person. You will also need a computer because you will be reporting your jobs on-line. A scanner is almost mandatory as you will have to scan any receipts into your computer as well (so that you get paid back for any purchases and to prove you were really there!).




A pretty good definition given by Wikipedia:
Mystery shopping or a mystery consumer is a tool used externally by market research companies or watchdog organizations or internally by companies themselves to measure quality of service or compliance to regulation, or to gather specific information about products and services. The mystery consumer's specific identity is generally not known by the establishment being evaluated. Mystery shoppers perform specific tasks such as purchasing a product, asking questions, registering complaints or behaving in a certain way, and then provide detailed reports or feedback about their experiences.

Mystery shopping was standard practice by the early 1940s as a way to measure employee integrity. Tools used for mystery shopping assessments range from simple questionnaires to complete audio and video recordings. Mystery shopping can be used in any industry, with the most common venues being retail stores, hotels, movie theaters, restaurants, fast food chains, banks, gas stations, car dealerships, apartments, health clubs and health care facilities. Since 2010, mystery shopping has become abundant in the medical tourism industry, with healthcare providers and medical facilities using the tool to assess and improve the customer service experience.[1] In the UK mystery shopping is increasingly used to provide feedback on customer services provided by local authorities, and other non-profit organizations such as housing associations and churches.[2]


Another thing you really should be aware of—NEVER pay to be a Mystery Shopper!! There are lots of places on the net that are trying to sell you lists which with a little bit of searching the net on your own you can come up with yourself.


Here is a place to get you started -- Volition.com -a great resource for Mystery Shoppers.







I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Transform Your Home on a Budget for 2013

The year of 2012 is slowly coming to a close. But, aside from being a time of partying and celebration, this time of year also signifies something much more meaningful for many of us; it quite often signifies a time of reflection – a time where we think about everything that has gone on in our lives in the last 12 months.



And, it’s usually through these reflections that we try and make resolutions in order to ensure the brand new year is even more successful than the last. Commonly, these include things like “I must try and be more on time”, or “I must work harder at work”, or even “I must try and cut back on the chocolate”. And, although these are perfectly valid resolutions that will help to make your 2013 more successful, for many, their resolutions are made around the material aspects of their lives that they’d like to change – things like, their homes. I’m sure that those who make such resolutions would love to up sticks and move to somewhere new, but realistically, it’s just not financially viable. But, just because you can’t physically move doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t do anything about. Because, in order to help you make the new year the most amazing yet, here are a few ways you can transform your home beyond recognition, so you can start the new year, with a ‘new’ home, for 2013:

The Lounge




You used to love your lounge; it was a place where you’d go to relax, unwind and put your feet up after a hard day at the office. But, now, as you’re sitting on your couch and looking at the room around you, you realize that it now just looks completely dated - time for a change. But, where on earth do you start to make it look fresh and new?

Well, if this is you and you’re looking for ways to change your lounge without spending a fortune, then there are a few simple ways you can transform it beyond recognition, whilst making sure you’re not left out of pocket.

If your lounge is a little on the small side and you’d love for a bigger space then all you need to do is buy yourself a big mirror - yes, that’s right; It really is that simple – and it’ll be far more cost effective then trying to knock down walls! Buy a frameless mirror and pop it above your fireplace and it’ll instantly open up the room and create the illusion of a much bigger space.

If you’re sick of your old sofa or tired of the laminate flooring you put down last year, then the New Year is the perfect time to purchase a new items – big furniture giants often have their biggest sales at the end of the year, just after Christmas. So, if you’ve had your eye on a gorgeous corner piece all year or that gorgeous carpeting, then now’s the perfect time to grab them!

Your Bedroom

As your bedroom is the last room you see before you fall asleep and the first one when you wake up, it’s only natural that you want to do so in a calming and peaceful environment.

But, if you find that walking up in your bedroom instantly makes you feel stressed out because of the plain magnolia walls you’ve been dying to change for years, or the mismatched furniture, then here are a few tips you could follow in order to completely transform your bedroom area.

So, you’d love to decorate your bedroom with that lovely decorative wallpaper you’ve seen, but you feel like you can’t get it as you’re terrified over what the final price to decorate the whole room with it, would be. Well, with this idea you can decorate it with that lovely wallpaper and you can afford to do it – with a feature wall. Feature walls have become increasingly popular simply due to their ability to make any room look effortlessly sophisticated, for a fraction of the price.

All you need to do is choose your wallpaper and choose your desired wall, and off you go! To give you some ideas, classic feature walls normally consist of ones backing or at the foot of the bed.

Your Bathroom

From having a bath or shower, to brushing our teeth or putting on make-up, we spend an astonishing amount of time in our bathrooms everyday. So, it’s important that they get a little sprucing up from time to time, too.

But, splashing out on a brand new bathroom suite can get pricey – after all, the old one has to be completely ripped out, and you can end up spending a fortune on a new one to be fitted in its place.

But, you can add a whole dimension to your bathroom completely for a much more affordable price - with a bathroom TV. Simply mount one on the wall facing your bath or shower, and you can enjoy your favorite programs whilst you’re winding down in the bath, or catch up on the morning news when you jump in for your shower.

However, if this doesn’t take your fancy, then you can also do some smaller bathroom DIY tricks. Things like changing your bathroom window blinds, to adding more mirrors, changing the color scheme of your bathroom accessories, as well as the ornaments, can all make your bathroom look that little bit different. And, what’s more doing so, will cost you next to no

With all these techniques, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to be a DIY expert to carry out the changes. Simply acquire the help of your family and friends, or check out the Internet for expert DIY advice, such as News from Transducer Techniques.








For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

My Life is Changing Once Again


Life, as I have known it is changing—I left, or in all honesty was being pushed out of, a job I wasn’t sure I wanted in the first place. Ten years ago I had my own bookkeeping service with lots of clients—then the economy tanked and I decided, with much prodding, to become an employee at one of them. When the office manager left I, as the bookkeeper, had to literally, overnight, revamp the accounting department-which I did-I actually hand picked the person who would take over my position when I retired-plus a billing clerk and an accounts receivable person. We won’t mention that it was I who gave the final okay to the accountant who, sadly to say, is the person who is a big part of the reason I left! I lost some of my own clients because I could no longer “switch days” for them as easily.

I have finally come to the conclusion that I can no longer afford to work for this NJ company (I live in NY). Besides the drive 3 days a week (1 ¼ hours each way if there is no traffic-which never happens) and the wear and tear on my car which has 196,000 miles on it—EZ Pass is costing me 315.00 a month and gas about 160.00 a month!! And even though this employer graciously paid half my health insurance-which would have been going up to over 700.00 in Jan if I had not been able to switch to a high deductible plan—I also end up paying both NJ and NY State taxes. Then of course I have all my other bills. No can do anymore----


Yes it will be rough—but I have already put an application into a Temporary Agency and I do still have some of my own clients. Maybe I can pick up a couple more. I also have been making some money from my blog—not too much but am hoping to increase this in 2013—by writing posts and putting up guest posts. If I can manage to get myself a new printer with scanner I might even do some Mystery Shopping which I haven’t done in a long time.

You see, I am a survivor—I will probably take off some time before I forge ahead full steam—to lick my wounds—and hopefully mend this broken heart. No matter what-when you give your heart and soul to a company for 10 years—it hurts--






I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

$25 Macy's Gift Card Giveaway-WW- Ends 12/31

Thursday, December 20, 2012

This contest is officially closed! Out of 465 comments, Thank you all-- the number picked at Random. org was #123--

Liza @ Views From the 'Ville said... 123

I could use some boots!

December 20, 2012 7:36 PM

Congratulations Liza! I hope with the $25 Macy's GC you just won you will be able to get a pair of boots you love!! Now all you have to do is reply to the email I will be sending you in just a few minutes with your full name and mailing address and I will mail the gift card to you--

Happy New Year Everyone-wishing all of you a healthy, peaceful and prosperous one-


In my possession is a $25 Macy's Gift Card which I would love to give to one lucky winner. There is absolutely no reason for this giveaway other then to show my appreciation for all who come to enter my giveaways. If you are one of my visitors from a country other then the US and if you are the winner-$25 Paypal will be awarded.


Macy's has a large selection of EVERYTHING you could want for yourself or as a gift

www.macys.com

Macy's has nothing what so ever to do with this giveaway, nor do they know anything about this giveaway - the Gift Card is from me.

Please make sure to enter your email in each comment you make so that I can contact you if you are the winner!

Mandatory: In a comment tell me what do you think you might get with this Gift Card?

Extra: Follow me on GFC (to the right)
Follow me on Facebook
Follow me on Linky Followers (to the right)
Subscribe to my email and/or rss (up top)
Like this post
Tweet this post (once daily)

Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza and a peaceful and prosperous New Year to all!!







I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Time to Ditch Your Unhealthy Habits!!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012


We all have them, even tiny little secret ones, those bad habits we wish we could beat once and for all. After the debauchery of the holiday season, it can feel as though our unhealthy habits have gatecrashed our party and are refusing to leave. If you want to reclaim your body again, it’s time to follow some simple steps. I can’t claim your body will be a temple afterwards, but it will certainly be less like a squat.

Change your environment. Making unhealthy choices can be linked to environment. Do you go past a bakery on the way to lunch? Do you mix with smokers during a break period? Changing where you lunch or what you do with your spare time can be enough to break a habit. Think about the circumstances when you make an unhealthy choice. Are you often with the same person or group of people? A friend I knew who was trying to reduce drinking alcohol found her attempts scuppered by the group she socialised with who encourage her to drink and proclaimed her ‘boring’ when she tried to make a positive change.

Set realistic goals. Just take a week at a time. Setting a huge goal when you are feeling positive will have you feeling like you have a mountain to climb when willpower fails you. Follow the ‘SMART’ rule; ‘small’, ‘measurable’, ‘achievable’, ‘realistic’ and ‘targetable’ when setting your goals and you will reach them every time.

Be well supported. Trying to quit a bad habit all on your own can be daunting. If your goal is weight loss, think about joining a weight loss club where you can get help with nutrition, exercise and gain support from other members. If quitting smoking is your goal, make sure that you have back up. If you haven’t thought about how you are going to control those cravings or nicotine patches or gum have not quite done the job, take a look at electronic cigarettes as a way of helping your body wean off tobacco cigarettes. There are some great online retailers who sell starter kits for newbies to the e-cig experience. Try ecig wizard starter kits for a range of great value kits.

Get more than 40 winks. Many of our bad habits are a reaction to stress. Comfort eating, smoking, having a drink of alcohol, have you noticed how these things are tougher to avoid when you’re tired? We turn to our bad habit as a way of de-stressing and underestimate the amount of sleep we need and the effect that a lack of it has on our wellbeing. If you are going to be fit to fight the bad habit cravings, you are going to need your rest.

Eye on the target. Sometimes when the going gets tough, it can be difficult to remember why on earth we started on this journey, my bad habit isn’t that bad, is it? To help remember your goal, write yourself a letter. Make it detailed, why you want to stop and what makes you sad about your habit. It just might give you the extra strength you needed.








I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

And the winner of the Happy Holidays Warner Bros Giveaway is...

This contest is officially closed. There were 40 comments (Thank You!)--the winning comment is #5

December 14, 2012 7:32 AM
Megan Parsons said... 5

Loved the decoding game!! I got 780 points!
TOTAL SUCCESS!
You are top of the class, expert status!
We don’t think you can do much better than that,
but we dare you to try ;)
December 14, 2012 7:36 AM

Congratulations Megan!! Now all you have to do to receive one of the movies is to reply to the email I will be sending in a few minutes very quickly since I have to get your full name and address into the sponsor by the 20th!!


I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Why You Should QUIT Smoking!!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

STOP! Quitting Time! - ecigwizard.com








For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

And the winner of the 25 B&N GC from the Gift Card Giveaway Hop is......

This contest is officially over. There were 638 comments-Thank you everyone!! Now, I just got back from Random.org and the number selected is.......561

susan1215 said... 561

I like mystery and urban fantasy

December 17, 2012 12:31 PM

Congratulations Susan!! I will be sending you an email in just a few minutes--all you will have to do is reply to that email within 48 hours with your full name and mailing address and I will mail you the $25.00 B&N gift card.



I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Diabetes and Extreme Dehydration

Sunday, December 16, 2012


I have been reading up on Diabetes and Extreme Dehydration on the net. As far as I can tell there is a direct correlation between the two which has been known for a very long time. So, why, when I originally asked my doctor if the Extreme heat stroke that happened to me caused the rampant diabetes which occurred very soon afterwards was part of the cause—he said no. Granted I was very much over weight and had been pre-diabetic for a couple of years---but from what I have been reading—I more then likely have and have had chronic dehydration for a good part of my life. Within two months I had the diabetes under control—the doctor took me off all medication-and finally admitted that Heat Stroke might have triggered the episode.


Now, why do I think I have chronic dehydration—For the 2 months where I was watching what I ate VERY carefully I had cut back on coffee to 2 cups max a day. I also was drinking way over 64 ozs of water (flavored with 4C brand individual tea sticks which has 0 sugar, 0 carbs, 0 calories etc). Lately I’ve been drinking more coffee and less water. My hair is dull and thinning—my skin also does not look as good as it usually does, my moods are mercurial to say the least-these are some of the signs of dehydration that I read about on the net. But as I sat here reading many articles it occurred to me one of the things my doctor said to me. He told me to drink a lot of water before I go in to have my blood tested—it seems that when I am semi hydrated blood can be drawn—when not—well lets just say it is next to impossible. I have never been a bleeder—which is why I’m thinking maybe I’ve had chronic dehydration for the better part of my life!!

So, as of today, I’m back to drinking 64 plus ounces of water a day—

It would be interesting to know for sure if more and more people are getting diabetes, not only from eating the wrong foods—but because they are also not drinking enough water! Maybe someday a scientific experiment will be performed to prove that lack of water is just as much to blame for the diabetes outbreak as eating the wrong food!!






I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

And the winner of the $25 PP (Jingle Jam) is.........

This contest is officially ended. Thank you so much for all 551 comments. I just got back from Random.org and the winning number is........101

Lori Thomas said... 101

liked post

December 1, 2012 11:38 PM

Congratulations Lori on winning the $25.00 PayPal!! Now all you have to do is reply to the email I am about to send you with your PayPal url within 48 hours and I will send you the 25.00.





I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Book Review - Absolute Obstruction – C. Elizabeth

Friday, December 14, 2012

I have to say I really enjoyed reading Book number 2 in the Absolute Series by C. Elizabeth! I hadn’t read Book number 1, Absolute Obsession, but you know I will be as soon as I get to Barnes & Noble!! And since this is to be a trilogy-------

This is the story of 2 people, totally in love and obsessed with one another. It doesn’t help that she is 45 and he is a 33 year old movie idle with a decidedly English accent!! He is always traveling to sets and she waits home. Both are very strong characters and knock heads more often then not—but when it is discovered that he is the father of twins-she happily takes them in with her own son to raise.

Someone wants to get between them—will not tell you who-but I can honestly say that I did not see it coming until towards the very end of the book.


From the back of the book:

Being lonely isn’t anything new for 45 year old Rose Terrance. After all, that’s what she signed up for when she married beautiful, 33 year old movie star, Michael Terrance, and in spite of her loneliness, their love stays strong.

However, neither their love, nor Michael’s vehement over protectiveness, can shield Rose from a threat that is beyond Michael’s comprehension, one that annihilates his heart and lines his soul with guilt.

Michael has murderous intentions that lead him to a place he has already asked Rose to forgive him for—taking the phrase “I would die for you” to the extreme.

I really want you to read this book!! It can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Nobel and wherever fine books are sold.



I was not paid cash for this post. I was given a paperback edition of this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Happy Holidays Giveaway from Warner Bros-Ends 12/18

Thursday, December 13, 2012

This contest is officially closed. There were 40 comments (Thank You!)--the winning comment is #5

December 14, 2012 7:32 AM
Megan Parsons said... 5

Loved the decoding game!! I got 780 points!
TOTAL SUCCESS!
You are top of the class, expert status!
We don’t think you can do much better than that,
but we dare you to try ;)
December 14, 2012 7:36 AM

Congratulations Megan!! Now all you have to do to receive one of the movies is to reply to the email I will be sending in a few minutes very quickly since I have to get your full name and address into the sponsor by the 20th!!





Warner Brothers is hosting a Holiday shopping App--One lucky winner will get one of three great holiday movies
Peanuts Deluxe Holiday Collection, Classic Christmas Favorites or Dr. Seuss’s Deluxe Holiday Collection (Prize will be chosen randomly from the above Blu-ray titles!)

To win take the holiday movie challenge and put your results in a comment--for an add'l entry--try the de-coding game!! Please remember to put your email in each comment!!



And see the great titles that I'm sure somebody on your list will want!! Put your favorite in a comment and who you would possibly buy it for!






I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.
 
Miki's Hope . Design by Pocket