Month: December 2020

Back to School Shopping Tips For Parents

Back-to-School season can bring parents either dread or excitement. It really depends on whether they prepared for it or not. One of the top items on their to-do list is usually back-to-school shopping. Who would want to wrestle through crowded bookstores and department stores with all the kids in tow? While it’s something quite inevitable, parents can better prepare for back-to-school shopping and lower their stress levels if they consider some of the tips below.

Discuss with the Kids and Get Them to Cooperate

Those who are directly affected by back-to-school shopping are usually the kids themselves. It’s best for busy parents to set aside time to sit down with their kids and find out what they want to shop for. If parents want cooperative kids at the store, then it’s best for them to get their kids’ buy-in early on.

• What are their non-negotiables? Can they let Mommy decide on choice of notebooks and school supplies but make sure to pick their own school bags and lunch boxes only? Do they need to be around when Mommy buys the paper and office supplies?

• What are the kids’ current sizes from clothes to shoes? It’s best for mom to have an inventory of where the kids are in terms of size so that she can bring a size chart with her and make her life easier when dealing with store clerks. While mom can actually shop with just the size chart, nothing beats having a child try on the clothes or shoes needed for school.

• Is there something that they are looking forward to? If mom finds out that her son is dying to have a Ben10 pencil case, she can save this incentive for last as a reward for good behavior while on the shopping trip. Of course, parents are discouraged from giving monetary rewards for simple tasks or good behavior. It’s a good venue for them to understand their child’s preferences and personality so that they can gear their motivation towards the things that excite their child.

Bargain Hunter or Convenience Shopper

A parent has to make the firm decision of whether she is a bargain hunter or a convenience shopper. This can color what she will do with her productive time. If a mom is ready to go canvassing in various shops, she can opt to have one day devoted to checking out prices even without the kids so that she’s ready to get the best prices without having the kids whining while she’s at it.

However, if a parent is willing to sacrifice price for convenience, then she can just set a budget ceiling and immediately take the kids to a less crowded store and do away with price canvassing. If a parent prioritizes what she values early on, she will be better prepared to go on her shopping trip.

Have a List Ready

Lastly, a parent will greatly benefit from organizing her back-to-school shopping trip with a list by child (specifying gender, age and requirements). This way, her shopping trip is done with efficiency and without too much meandering. With a checklist on hand, a mom will be less tempted to browse and to just focus on the task at hand.…

5 Steps to Spot Fake Designer Sunglasses

Designer sunglasses from popular brands like Ray Ban, Gucci, Chanel and Prada are accessories which all of us desire to flaunt. Extremely stylish, fashionable and glamorous, branded sunglasses are associated with celebrities and trendsetters. Since they are manufactured using the latest optical technologies, they provide maximum protection of eyes from bright glares and harmful UV rays and also make a hot style statement. But, with a high end name also comes attached a high price tag. On an average, a single branded sunglasses pair costs at least $200-$400. One can always find a pair which is a tad cheaper but nevertheless, 100 bucks would be the minimum amount that you’ll have to dole out.

Given the huge variety of stunning styles offered by each brand, it’s not a surprise that every other person wants to own multiple pairs of sunglasses. Unfortunately, being too pricey, these shades can be afforded only by the rich. Therefore, to satisfy each and every person’s taste, many knock off sunglasses and replicas are available in the designer eyewear market. If you’re a looking for authentic designer sunglasses you have to be extra careful so that you don’t end up paying for a fake product. Not only are replicas more prone to damage from accidentals bumps and shocks, but can also cause grievous harm to your eyes (since the sun protection factor is nearly zero).

So, how to identify a fake pair from an original one? Here are 5 simple steps which will ensure you always buy authentic sunglasses:

•Examine the brand logo and model number: Most top sunglasses models have the brand logo embossed on the sides. Check carefully for any variations in the logo (misspellings, different font or letter sizes). Also, every model has a unique model number which you should note down to compare with the pair of your choice.

•Study the craftsmanship: Original branded sunglasses are crafted using top grade materials like memory metals, high quality plastics and polycarbonates. Therefore they are strong, sturdy and extra comfortable whereas knockoffs would one way or the other feel kind of cheap, flimsy and unconvincing.

•Compare photos: Comparing the photos of the sunglasses pair you are going to buy to the original model snaps on the brand website is a good way to determine the authenticity of the product. Avoid buying sunglasses in which the color is even a shade lighter, they’re sure to be replicas.

•Know your seller: Designer sunglasses are available only in high end boutique stores or official brand shops. Purchasing them online might surely save you some money but beware of those sites which offer too heavy discounts e.g. nearly 60% off on every sunglasses purchased. This is a sure giveaway for selling replicas as no retailer will make any profit if they sell expensive glasses at such throwaway prices.

•Check for original casing and certificates: Before making a buy, always enquire about the packaging details of the product.Branded designer sunglasses come with original casing and certificate of authenticity.

Buying a genuine pair sunglasses not only satisfies your fashion needs but also provides a long term protection cover for your eyes. Nowadays, many popular styles, especially from Ray Ban, Gucci, Dior and Prada are available as replica models. But, if you follow the above mentioned 5 steps, you can easily differentiate a fake pair from an original and ensure maximum returns on your investment.…

Watch Out For These Terrific Timepieces

If any one of these four watches – be you male or female – was draped around your wrist, you would be regarded as the most sophisticated and fashionable person with impeccable taste. Each of these elegant time-pieces are distinctive in style and are crafted (with love) to ensure accuracy and absolute dependability.

Gucci Watches

Arguably one of the most famous brand names around, Gucci symbolises luxury and all things good. In the nineties, Gucci watches became the brand leader, setting a trend of high fashion and unique design. The Gucci watch was a joy to behold … and still is. Today Gucci watches are crafted from the finest stainless steel, pure, soft silver and sapphire crystals. Beautiful in design, tasteful and appealing, a Gucci watch is a precious timepiece much appreciated by style conscious and discerning buyers.

Tissot Watches

Known worldwide as the ‘timekeepers of sports,’ Tissot has earned a formidable ‘time-keeping’ reputation. When it comes to events like the 24-hour Le Mans race, Formula One, the Tour de Suisse and championship ice hockey, there’s no one better. With craftsmanship near to perfection, a Tissot watch mirrors this sporting excellence, vitality and passion … and Tissot’s T-Touch Expert, with its unique touch-screen feature, is a unique innovation. Oh, and need we mention that wearing a Tissot watch is a truly thrilling experience? Try it and see.

Movado Watches

In 1881 Movado Watch made its entrance into the world of classic watch-making. Their Calendomatic watches were the first to include dials showing the day and month. Movado Watch is an innovative company keeping one step ahead of many others.

Their famous ‘Museum Watch,’ where a solo dot instead of the number 12 appears on the dial, caused a sensation and a set of these watches is on display in the Museum of Modern Art. Retro is a word that Movado understands, so much so that they’ve re-introduced their classic KingMatic watch series, which first became popular in the 1950’s. And today all of Movado watches reflect good taste and stunning design and are fashion leaders that include both quartz and mechanical movements. So if you want to be seen to have flair and great fashion sense, make your next watch a Movado watch.

Rado Watches

The uniqueness and innovation of Rado was clearly evident when the company brought out the first scratch-proof watches – the Rado Diastar – in the early sixties. Better-known by most of us as Swatch, this big brand company launched a huge range of unique and attractive designs that became worldwide sellers. The sophisticated Rado watches are crafted using a combination of materials that include sapphire crystals, tungsten-carbide and titanium-carbide, lanthanum and the clever use of ceramics. So, if you’re into big brand names consider wearing a Rado watch.…

Make Better Fashion Choices With These Tips

As someone that works, you may have forgotten about fashion since you’re too busy with a work and home life. That’s totally ok. It’s never too late to bring to life your sense of style. In fact, this fashion advice can help you look fierce! Read on to learn about fashion!

Spend your fashion money on basics. These pieces should be classics, in colors that will pair well with a variety of colors and patterns. Items like a basic black skirt will be fashionable for years to come, and can be updated with tops that are currently in the fashion eye.

You can easily dress up your jeans with a fancy top and a nice pair of heels. Wear colored jeans if you want a more casual look.

If your hair tends to frizz, avoid vigorously rubbing it with a towel after a shower. This will damage your hair and make it more likely to frizz. Instead, you should wrap it and push the towel to eliminate the moisture. Afterwards, brush the hair gently.

If you are unhappy with your shape, wearing a dark top with a dark bottom could help. Colors that are dark camouflage your body size and de-emphasize unsightly bulges. Make sure your skirt has elastic in the waistband for added comfort.

When you travel, pack different neutrals so you can match each piece easier. You’ll have many options available to you, while never being at risk of clashing. Accessorize by using belts and scarves.

Need a new pair of jeans? There are dozens of cuts, sizes, and fits of jeans to choose from in each store you go to. It may be hard to figure out what will look best on you. Go with classic styles like straight leg or boot cut jeans. These styles give you the most bang for your buck and look great on almost everyone.

Do not follow trends just because they are popular. What looks hot on a model may not look as good on you. Do what makes you comfortable. Trust yourself with your personal fashion style. They will not mislead you.

Changing your hair color each season can make a great change to your look. Make sure that you try and keep up with it so it doesn’t look faded. It is important to have a good conditioner so your hair stays as healthy as possible.

Keep up to date by following fashion magazines, blogs, or emails. Doing this well ensure you are ready for every season before it hits, and will be ahead of your friends on the fashion trends.

Good style starts with good basics. The right fitting bra can make a big difference to your body shape. Your undergarments should properly support you and provide you with a smooth and tight look. There are many available slimming undergarments designed to hide certain problems and help you look and feel great.

Now that you are finished with this article, your mind is probably full of fashion ideas. Don’t let your work and your home life take over your life to the point where you forget about how you look–looking great will have you feeling even better.…

Christmas Shopping Tips – Make the Most Out of a Small Gift Budget

Christmas shopping on a budget can be fun! In this economy, many of us will be budget shopping this year. Make a plan. Decide exactly how much money you have available to spend, and divide that amount by the gifts you need to purchase. These 5 tips will be helpful in your challenge. Enjoy!

1. Shop all year. You probably know you can save money by shopping sales year round. Create a gift closet or gift shelf in your home and collect things throughout the year. When Christmastime arrives, you can then select items from your gift closet, already purchased and ready to wrap.

2. Shop warehouse sales – No matter what kinds of items are produced in your vicinity, you can usually find a good warehouse sale or two through the year. Book warehouse sales are available in most areas. Study the classified ads and be sure you are first in line. These sales generally last a week or two. You will have the best selection at the first of the sale and the best bargains at the end of the sale. Often on the last day of such a sale, prices are reduced to less than half of the sales price.

3. Create a gift. If you are handy with wood, make birdhouses for your friends. If you can sew, make unique aprons. If you crochet, make hats and scarves. Use your talents and your hobbies to create gifts for all your friends and family — at much less cost and much higher value.

4. Cook in bulk. Everyone enjoys gifts of prepared food. Spend a day making small casseroles for your friends. Singles, couples, seniors and busy moms appreciate a meal in the freezer ready to cook. Be sure to put instructions on the top of your gift.

5. Has a friend admired something of yours? If you are willing to part with it, wrap it up and pass it on! What about that necklace that your friend loves? Give it to her for Christmas.

6. Have children create coupon books to give to relatives. “This coupon is good for one hug.” “This coupon will feed your pets while you are on vacation.” “This coupon is good for one hour of help with housework.”

Do not allow money worries to interfere with the joy of the holiday season. Keep it affordable for you and your family and enjoy every minute.…

Why Choose Shimano Fishing Reels?

Shimano Fishing Reels are products of the Shimano Fishing Tackle Company. The company began business in 1921 under the name of Shimano Ironworks and their product was a bicycle freewheel. Through the years up until 1970 their main focus was on bicycle production. In 1970 the fishing tackle division was introduced and by 1978 the company starts a fishing tackle campaign. This was the year that the series of Bantam reels were released. In 1981 the X Line series of rods were released. You can find many subsidiaries of the Shimano company through out the world currently with products ranging from fishing equipment to bicycling equipment to golfing equipment.

The Shimano Fishing Tackle company products range from rods. reels, gear and anything in between. With the focus being on the reels, Shimano has a great selection to choose from. Conventional reels, Low Profile Bait casting reels, Round Bait casting reels, Offshore Spinning reels and Spinning reels are some of the reels available through Shimano.

Conventional reels include reels for the saltwater angler such as the Trinidad DC. This reel is an exceptional choice for saltwater anglers due to it’s digital braking system. With an 8 step adjustment knob you can control the mode of the reel from an ultra long cast mode to a maximum control mode.

The Tekota reel is a conventional reel that is great for both freshwater fish and saltwater fish. Saltwater anglers will appreciate its strength and durability while the freshwater angler will appreciate its line capacity.

Spinning reels that Shimano offers include the Spirex FG. This reel was designed for simple one handed casts and has A-RB bearings which produces a smooth retrieval of the line. The Sahara would be the choice for light saltwater fishing or freshwater fishing. The line capacity and many features this reel has to offer makes it the reel for offshore fishing. The Stella FD has a magnesium frame and an aluminum rotor which makes this reel light weight and durable. It also has a gear coating on top of the normal gear coating that will ensure the durability of this spinning reel.

Being in the business for more than 80 years, the Shimano Company has produced high quality products though out the world. Their products have been improved upon and perfected to the company’s highest standard and to the standards of many anglers. Professionals and novices alike will appreciate the quality of these reels and the results that are achieved.…

Valuable Money-Saving Tips

Surprisingly enough, it is possible to save money even while spending! You just need to master the principle of smart-spending and you can sit back and watch the savings roll in. In the current economic climate, it is most advisable to adopt a smarter way of shopping. Whether shopping for clothing or grocery, vacation or insurance, your loyalty should always be to your purse/wallet, never to the store!

Here is one fashion tip you can’t afford to ignore: the simple 1:2:3 rule that adds up to fashion perfection.

To make your wardrobe truly versatile try this rule. For every trendy (latest but temporary fashion) piece in your wardrobe, make sure you have 2 basics (e.g. plain t-shirts, body suits, vests, jeans in assorted colours) and 3 timeless classics (e.g. LBD – the little black dress, blazer, white shirt, cardigan, pencil skirt, clutch purse, heeled boots) that are simple and not faddish and will never go out of fashion because they were never in fashion!

I am a firm believer in setting rather than following the trend. I find that it is actually more classy to not wear what everyone is wearing, but to wear a unique piece that will draw attention because of its uniqueness. If you collect beautifully unique and timeless pieces over time, you will find that such pieces will server you for much longer because they will never go out of fashion. This way you will be saving money while spending. Instead of throwing your hard-earned cash on supposedly ‘in-vogue’ fashion items, you will be putting together a nest egg for yourself while still looking smashing and effortlessly classy!

So next time you see a top or skirt at 90% off, buy it and match it with that classic number that is already in your wardrobe!…