You have a gift to gift there’s not wrapping paper in sight? Try these wrapping paper substitutes without looking to tacky or cheap.

Reuse the brown grocery bags you have at home istead of putting them away in the trash. But do not use them as is. Give them first to your little artists (aka your kids) for some colorful artwork. Place the gift inside and then tie with a ribbon or yarn. You could also punch holes on the paper bags and knot a ribbon or yarn through to serve as handles.

Bandanas are another good alternative to wrapping paper especially for small items. These are colorful, cheap and can even serve as second gifts. For big gifts, you can put together a giant sack by combining bandanas of the same or different colors. You can be your own Santa Claus with the large bag even if Christmas is far ahead.

Baskets are a good option if there are no gift bags available. Basketable gifts are usually breakfast treats, snacks, fruits, bath accessories and skin care products. Place a ribbon on the handle for a finished look.

Instead of tossing away bottles that were packaged with your groceries and cosmetic products, why not use them again for your gifts? You can fill them with bath salts, candies, spices, coffee, salad dressing and dips. Just wash them in hot water and stick a little bow at the neck and you have your improvised gift wrapper.

Parties are a great way to boost your social life. It’s a great place to mingle with friends and meet new ones. You can plan to let loose and enjoy the night away but that doesn’t mean you should forget your basic manners. Here are some reminders on guest etiquette for parties.

Never crash a party. Crashing a party is not a sign of coolness but of sheer rudeness. People around you will think that you only want to have a good time and dismiss the plans of the host/s. Showing at a party uninvited will also ruin your credibility and reputation since most of the guests would be your peers or other people that might know you through them.

Do RSVP. Let the hosts know if you are comming or not so that they can plan ahead with the food, drinks and venue. Ask them if it is okay to bring along someone — whether it may be a friend or a date. Never assume that you can bring someone along just because you got invited. Always confirm these details with the hosts.

Dress accordingly. Wearing inappropriate clothing to the party will get you more forwns than smiles. Check the dress code indicated at the invitation before going through your clothes. If the party has a specific theme, try to come up with an outfit that will blend with the theme. You don’t want to be caught in luau wearing your stylish LBD.

Don’t drink more than you can. Open bar parties is not an excuse for you to test your alcohol limits. Drink moderately to avoid looking like a major wreck and humiliating your hosts.

Here are some tips on how to have an ice cream party:

Get your ice cream ready. Add safe flavors such as vanilla and
chocolate, but be more daring as well such as with other flavors such
as green tea, coconut, mint, cheese, etc. Check your local gourmet
shop or online shops for other flavors. If you have an ice cream
maker, you can always concoct your own ice cream using different
flavors.

Get your tools ready. Look for fun platters or bowls and those scoops.

You can also have the following options:

• mini cupcakes can be topped with ice cream
• add sprinkles and other favorite ice cream toppings, fruits, and
• syrups or sauces
• have different breads and pastries for ice cream sandwiches
• pies

Here are tips to make Black Friday sales safer, easier, and even fun!

Check the newspapers and store websites everyday, for at least a week
before Black Friday. Write down the store that is best to visit and
the items you plan to purchase. Don’t forget to read the fine print
because you might not end up getting a deal.

List down the items you want to purchase. Limit yourself to a maximum
of ten to make it more manageable. If you know the layout of the
store, list them according to ease of logistics.

It’s better to go with someone, as this allows you to cover more
ground – meaning you can get in and out of the store fast! However, do
not bring kids along. Get up early and make sure you dress warmly.

Never bring a purse. Just bring a car and some cash which you can keep
in your pocket. This is for ease of purchase, and as well as safety
and security.

Holidays can be fun, but they’re also the source of added expenses.
Here are some suggestions on how to make some extra cash in time for
the coming holidays:

Check all your things look for stuff that you can sell in your own
garage sale, or a community garage sale. You can also sell
collectibles if possible. You can also create a project of collecting
recyclables in your home and even around the neighborhood or school
(drink and food cans) which you can recycle in order to raise money.

Time for tightening your belt! Re-visit your budget and check where
you can cut back on your expenditures for the time being.

Work part-time, especially those which you can do at home after your
day job, or a few hours over the weekend. Check out freelance websites
for writing, programming, encoding, graphic design, etc.

Here are some tips if you are trying to have your vacation home rented out:

Before placing an ad for your vacation home, try to write down what
your goals. List the number of weeks in a year you would want to rent
out your property. You should consider to have weeks off for periodic
maintenance.

Shop around about how much is the going rate for vacation homes in
your area. Consider the amenities you are offering as well. Make the
price considerable, but keep in mind that your goal is for you make
enough to be able to keep the maintenance of the place and make profit
as well.

Consider doing your own maintenance instead of hiring out. This
depends of course on your availability and the amount of space you are
renting out. Hiring a company or individuals to do the maintenance can
be costly so you need to add the cost to the rent. However, if you
have the know-how and the resources, then you might as well do it
yourself.

Advertise. Post on community bulletin boards, online boards, and
create your own website.

To increase return guests, offer little conveniences such as a welcome
gift or other extra services.

The hoildays are getting near and however fun these days are, we all
can’t deny that they also cause disruptions and stress at work. Here
are some tips on how to manage the holiday stress in the workplace:

File your holiday leaves at least a month in advance. This way,
management can find out which people will be staying over the
holidays. It would be easier for them to formulate a schedule that can
accomodate the workload.

Remember to be flexible and considerate. If a co-worker needs to cover
for you if you need to take the afternoon off to attend your kids’
school concert, be sure to do the same for them when it’s their turn.

Bring some treats during the holidays. These might be small treats but
they sure keep up with the holiday spirit.

Leave the stress at home (and vice versa). If the holiday preparations
at home are getting crazy, spare your coworkers the drama.

One of the most important appliance in a house is a refrigerator. This helps you save money on food as they keep things fresh for a longer period of time. If it’s your first time buying this appliance for a new home, here are a couple of tips you might want to know:

Keep a tape measure with you. First, measure the space that the appliance will be fitting into (the width, depth, and height). You should also check how much space you have if you have the refrigerator door open. Also check the size of your doors. You want a refrigerator that can fit through those so you can get them to the right spot once it is delivered.

Don’t forget your measuring tape once you go shopping. This will make it easier to measure appliances. Choose the one that fits closest to the measurements you need.

You might also inquire about how much energy an appliance consumes. If you’re big on frozen stuff, you may want to opt for something with a big freezer compartment.

Host a Father’s Day brunch which won’t break the bank. It’s as simple as one, two, and three.

Choose a filling entree – something that your Dad would like very much (however, if your Dad has health issues, you should be mindful of that as well). Then think of two to three side dishes which would go well with it. Don’t forget to think of dessert as well.

Here are some suggestion you might want to take:

For the entree, start by preheating your oven up to 350 degrees. Next, simply cut up ham and bacon or vegetables and sautee in a bit of olive oil. Mix in grated cheddar cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk half a cup of milk and two whole eggs. Pour into the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

For a side dish, you can serve a platter of breakfast pastries such as bagels, muffins, biscuits, etc. Include small bowls of your Dad’s favorite spreads such as marmalade, peanut butter, butter, cream cheese, etc.

A healthier option is preparing a bowl of cereal complete with slices of fruits and topped with vanilla yogurt.

Dessert can be slices of fresh fruit, fruit tarts, or a small bowl of chocolate pudding.

Serve with any of your Dad’s favorite breakfast beverage – coffee, tea, milk, and/or orange juice.

Any holiday with kids around should be fun and not exhausting or tyring. To prevent this, one should be prpared in order to enjoy the holidays.

Choose a kid-friendly beach. This means it should have a small shallow area that is also protected. Once you get there, make sure that you pick a spot near a lifeguard station.

Consider renting a beach umbrella, especially if you have an infant or toddler, so they can sleep in peace once they get tired romping about.

Write a list of the needs that each child so that when you pack their things, you won’t forget anything. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, marine-approved life jackets, beach towels, sun glasses, water shoes, first aid kit, and plenty of water for hydration.

Insist that your kids apply sunscreen every two hours for maximum protection. Make sure that you make them wear water shoes so they wouldn’t get wounded by debris.

Ask for wind and water conditions when you get to the beach. Be wary of the tide especially when it’s coming in.

Share the responsibility of keeping an eye on your kid with the other adults in your company.

Leave your skin senses stimulated with quality skin cares. Acquire day care for a sunburn free skin.