55 Ways I saved Time and Money Planning My Wedding

Before you Plan:
1.Decide between time & money (Wedding planner vs. doing it yourself)
2.Decide what's important
3.Decide what's not important
4.Prioritize what's important
5.Purchase a "bargain" book (but only one)
6.Find a planner that will work for you
7.Decide on the "look" and "feel" of your wedding
8.Determine how much you can spend
9.Make a budget, but make your own budget
10.Find people to whom you can delegate
11.Laugh a little
Clothes
12.Research, research, research
13.Rent them
14.Make your own
15.Shop fabric and craft store sales
16. www.Houseofbrides.com
17.Don’t buy boutique, but do try it on there
18.Look into dresses made out of different materials
19.Find a seamstress who sews as a home based business
20.Avaid bridal chain stores
21.Make your own veil
22.Rent tuxes as a group you’ll get one free
Cake
23.Club stores
24.Decorate the cake with flowers
25.Have a dessert table vs. cake alone
26.Make your own cake stand
26.Make your own cake stand
27.Make all your cakes the same flavor
28.Pass on the fondant
29.Cut the round cake, but serve the sheet cake
Decorates
30.Accessorize your flowers with bouquets from a club or warehouse store
31.See if your church or reception hall has deductions you can use
32.Shop creatively
33.Ask your friends (tulle, anymore?)
34.Buy in bulk
35. Give your center pieces away
36.Find out if your church or reception hall has a relationship with a local florist
37.Be willing to substitute expensive flowers for cheaper ones with the same look
38.Let your florist make the decisions
39.Simple elegance beats (and is less expensive that I lots of frills
40.Go for a different “look” (don’t use roses)
41.Find people who grow the flowers you want in their yards
42.Dried flowers are perfect
Invitation
43.Club store paper center
44.Skip the engraving
45.Print reception cards yourself
Honeymoon
46.Ask your friends and their friends
47.Decide what kind of honeymoon you want
48.Look in to all-inclusive packages, especially in the off-season
49.Look for privately owned condo-style housing
50.Plan the honeymoon way ahead
51.Plan the honeymoon last minute
52.Find a place where you can cook your own meals
53.Gett off the beaten track
54. www.Kayak.com
55. www.Bookit.com

Bullet proof your job by Stephen Visusi

1. Arrive early and stay late
2. Look good
3. Pay attention to detail
4. Listen up
5. Speak up
6. Volunteer to lead
7. Make Presentations
8. Represent your company
9. Find a mentor
10. Talk to your boss
11. Grow your circle
12. Introduce yourself
13. Publicize your accomplishments
14. Be a fan
15. Quit complaining
16. Watch your mouth
17. Leave your problems at home
18. Behave appropriately
19. Discuss, don’t argue
20. Don’t be a gossip
21. Understand your office politics
22. Be positive
23. Be dependable
24. Be Flexible
25. Encourage others
26. Share credit
27. Stay calm
28. Be a mentor
29. Train others
30. Be a utility player
31. Be a specialist
32. Share your work
33. Take responsibility
34. Take initiative
35. Support your boss
36. Land a hand
37. Work hard
38. Add Dollar value
39. Have money in a bank
40. Keep your resume current
41. Establish a relationship with a recruiter
42. Improve your network skills
43. Help the people in your network
44. Be active in a professional association
45. Publish articles and do presentations in your area of expertise
46. Pay attention to what your peers are doing
47. Improve your interview skills
48. Monitor the job market in your field
49. Continue your education
50. Learn new skills

Tips on how to start a Conversation

1.Smile. Everyone is more engaging when they appear friendly and open.
2.Make eye contact.
3.Introduce your self. A conversation is more likely to start and continue when names are exchanged.
4.Pick a relevant topic. It might sound cliché, but it’s always good to bring up the weather.
5.Share some details. Tell the other person a little about yourself.
6.Ask specific questions. Inquire about the other person’s family, job or hobbies.
7.Educate yourself. Stay informed about current events or happenings within your industry so you can offer interesting insight and speak confidently on a subject.
8.Listen closely to what the other person is saying and file always important tidbits for letter.
9.Laugh. Conversations are always easier when people are at ease.
10.Be genuine. No one likes to have a conversation with someone likes to have a conversation with someone who comes off as fake or distracted.

German bread

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz can of beer
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ cup butter a margarine melted

Directions

1.Preheat over to 375ºF (190ºC)
2.Lightly grease a 9x5 inch baking pan
3.In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients
4.Add the beer and sugar, mix well, place in pan
5.Top with melted butter
6.Bake 45 to 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Things to Save Money in your Household Budget

-Have a budget
-Just say NO
-Face the reality of your buying habits (little things)
-Ask, ask, ask
-Make your self save something every month
-Quiz yourself before you buy anything (Do I really need it?)
-Carry a “buy-at-the-right-price” list
-Keep in mind that nothing is a bargain unless you need it
-Evaluate your insurance policies at least annually
- Pay your credit card bill in full every single month
www.cardratings.com
-Think long and hard before getting a pet
-Think cheap fitness
-Take your lunch (at least 2 or 3 days a week)
-Sleep on it
-Shop garage sales for bargains
-Have a garage sale
-Shop thrift stores
-Do it your self (sewing, cleaning, ironing…)
-Make things yourself instead of buying them
All-purpose cleaning: ½ cup ammonia, ½ cup vinegar, and ½ cup baking soda in a gallon of warm water.
Disinfectant spray: Mix ½ cup bleach and 3 ½ cups water. The total cost will be about a dime.
-Don’t smoke
-Be as energy efficient as possible
www.energyright.com/savingenergy/evaluation.htm
-Order smart at restaurants
www.entertaiment.com (which include hundreds of money ,saving coupons…..)
-Change the way you entertain
-Use the library to the fullest
-Purchase use books
-Change the gift-giving rules for the holidays and other occasions
-Reevaluate your Christmas holiday traditions
-Let people know what you want
-Go for resifting
-Save on travel
-Consider a vacation in which you don’t actually travel
-Go for automatic bill pay
www.cardratings.com
-Negotiate
-Don’t waste your money on extended warranties
-Enter contests
www.sweepstakestoday.com
www.sweepstakesadvantage.com
-Sing up for a membership
-Volunteer (Habitat for Humanity volunteer)
-Find ways to be cheap, to be generous
-Never turn down anything free
www.freecycle.org
-Take advantage of cheap or free greeting cards
www.bluemountain.com
www.123greetings.com
www.regards.com
-Be frugal on the gardening front
-Keep a gift closet for storing “all purpose” gifts
-Be skeptical (BBB and Department of Consumer Affairs for your state)
-Stay home more
-Stay out of the stores
-Talk to your children and grand children about money
-Make the most of your education (Commerce Department’s Census Bureau)
-Pay full price
-Be patient
-Enjoy things that are good to the last drop
-Consider a “fiscal fast”
-Take things back
-Enjoy high school sports and theater
-Attend leisure activities at local colleges
-Avoid clothes that need to be dry cleaned
-Shop consignment stores
-Take advantage of all the great web sites for cheapest
www.Shopping.com
www.mysimon.com
www.shopping.yahoo.com
www.pricegrabber.com
www.retailmenot.com
www.cuponchief.com (on line tutorial to help people to use the site)
www.smartbargains.com ( a rebate site where you can get money back for some of you purchases)
www.fatwalet.com
www.dealcatcher.com
www.insweb.com (all kinds of insurance)
www.gasbuddy.com (the cheapest gas is)
www.indexcreditcards.com (law interest cards, rewards cards…)
www.overstock.com (good discounts on clothes, house wares, books, music…)
www.factcheck.org
www.rather-be-shopping.com (coupons & deals)
www.half.com (is an eBay page with books, music, movies, text books…)
www.buzzillions.com
www.annualcreditreport.com
www.couponmom.com (coupons, coupon codes, free offers, free samples)
www.lastminute.com (last minute travel)
www.ebates.com (rebates, donate to charity)
www.mycoupon.com
www.totallyfreecrap.com www.heyitsfree.net (free stuff from screwdrivers to magazines and lip gloss and Nicoderm patches)
-Google everything
-Learn what you can do without
-Don’t spend a lot of money on the movies
www.redbox.com
www.hulu.com
-Lower your standards
-Compare prices on everything
-Think multipurpose
-Churches rock
-Get that company Match
-Make the savings fun
-If you or your spouse is a senior go for that senior discount
-Let the kids eat free
www.kidseatfree.com
-Go for services (for pampering and for food)
-Know your benefits at work
-Learn some new home – improvement skills
www.homedepot.com
www.expertvillage.com
www.wikihow.com
www.diynetwork.com
www.beyane.com
-Shop off-season and shop year-round
-Drink water
-Save by sharing
-Think about what you can sell
-Save every single receipt
-Know your stores
-Get free credit reports
-Find cheap and free entertainment for yourself and the family
-Use store brands
-No matter where you shop, have a list and stick to it
-Shop alone and don’t shop on an empty stomach
-Know your prices
-Have a menu plan based on what’s on sale
-Stockpile
-Weigh every think
-Coupon on the max
www.couponmom.com

5 Ways to Power

Vision
Think big. Dream big. Keep success in your mind and believe you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
Plan
to attend the Black Enterprise women of Power Summit to learn this and so much more.
Connect
with like-minded professionals on both a professional and social level.
Knowledge
Never stop learning. Take classes, go to seminars, learn from women who share similar experiences and have achieved the success you want.
Balance
Create a healthy balance between your professional and personal life. Remember-health, family, and finance are vital to achieving overall success.