Spring is right around the corner which means, for men and women, an entire change in wardrobe. As the spring months progress we will begin putting our heavy coats to the back of our closets and bust out the boat shoes, flip-flops, shorts and short sleeve shirts. Designers are already releasing their spring lines and stores are starting to convert their inventory on display from heavy dark winter items to bright light fitting spring ones. You do not want to be left behind with last year’s wardrobe but you also do not want to break the bank buying an entire new one, so what should you do? Women know all about accessorizing their wardrobes, but men do not always do. This is why men should follow these following tips.

Spruce up your wardrobe by adding accessories to it. A belt or hat can tie any pair of shoes to the shirt you are wearing by incorporating similar colors. Wear that pair of blue Sperry’s you just got with a green shirt by wearing a belt that has a combination of blue and green in it.

Belts are not the only way you can jazz up your look this spring. Mens watches are another way you can update your look this year. ShopNBC carries a wide range of mens watches. You can choose brands such as Invicta, Fossil, Croton, and even Gucci. They have watches available in a multitude of price ranges and styles making it a great spot to shop for watches.

Do not break the bank updating your wardrobe to the latest fashion trends. Add a few new items and accessorize to make yourself stand out this spring.

I have been shopping like mad the last few days and really need to search online more often for discount voucher codes. Since tomorrow is my birthday we have been spending a TON of money on new deck items like furniture, tiki torches and wind chimes but I am so happy with the new look.

I am sure I could have bought a few of these items online and probably saved a few bucks but I am an instant gratification kind of guy.  Typically when I see something I want it then and can’t wait three to five days for it to be delivered.  For example I scored a really nice table and chair set off of Craigslist for only $100 and only had to put another $20 into it for a can of spray paint to repaint the table (Melinda did the repainting) and for new tiles for the table top.  When I saw it on Craigslists I picked it up within 24 hours because I was afraid someone would take it right from under me.

After we set the table and chairs up we decided we needed a few extra chairs so we went to Home Depot and bought a few chairs and cushion sets then decided a new wind chime would be nice also.  I am being serious when I say between Melinda and I we have been to Home Depot five to six times since Friday afternoon.  It seemed like every time we got home we either got the wrong thing or decided we needed something else like trash bags and grass seed.

Overall going to Home Depot was pretty painless since it is less than five miles from our house and like I mentioned I am super happy with my deck and am really looking forward to spring and summer.  Last year we didn’t really use our deck much because our furniture wasn’t that nice but that is not going to be the case this year.

Melinda and I have been trying to have date night a little more often over the last month or so and there have been a lot of new movies hitting the theaters so that is what we have been doing on our date nights.

We try to see new movies within the first week of the release date as long as the cinema times are good for us because we find if we wait more than a week or so to see a particular movie we never go then we just wait for it to hit DVD.

The last time Melinda and I had date night we went out and had a nice dinner just the two of us with no kids and then went to see Act of Valor. We had a great night but date night tends to be expensive because for the two of us to go see a movie with snacks cost us close to $50 so we don’t go as often as we would like.

Movies are a treat for Melinda and I because date night usually consist of a shopping trip to Wal-Mart for groceries and other odds and ends that we need for the week. Sometimes we even do date night during the week with a trip to Best Buy, Buffalo Wild Wings or where ever else we need to run to. Maybe I wouldn’t call it date night but more like spending time together.

Do you go to the movies for date night? What is your favorite movie of all time?

The weather this week in Delaware is going to be in the high 60’s low 70’s and it has me thinking about spring big time. I am so glad that we dodged the snow and I am really looking forward to warmer weather for sure. The only thing is when I think spring I think house work more specifically yard work and this year I am looking to make a few nice changes in our back yard.

Our deck is about ten to twelve years old and needs some repair but I am wondering if I should just replace the deck and be done with it. I recently started looking at composite decking prices and even though it’s a little higher than traditional wood I think composite decking looks a lot nicer than wood plus it will last a lot longer than wood. Funny thing with me is once I start on a project I want to revamp the entire yard and not over tine either because I hate having one thing that looks new and the rest of the yard looks beat up. So while I was looking at composite decking I also researched composite fencing prices and composite railing prices. Our fence is a split rail fence that is probably as old as the deck which makes sense because they were probably all installed when the house was built. Currently we have a three foot fence but I would really love a six foot privacy fence as long as our home owners association allows it. I would love to be able to sit in my back yard without having to see my neighbor’s crappy yard.

There are also a few cosmetic things that need to be done like re-seed the grass because I have a few thin spots and we also want to get new deck furniture. Melinda and I saw a really nice patio table and chairs at Home Depot the other day for about $500 so we will probably be getting that this spring as well.

So as you can tell if all goes well like I hope we will have a totally new back yard and empty pockets, LOL, but at least the yard will look totally awesome.

Are you planning on any yard projects this spring/summer?

Starting a business of your own is extremely tough and you need to make sure that you have all your bases covered before jumping in head first.

Melinda and I have spoken many times about one day opening up a bar/restaurant until we go over all of the costs associated with opening a business.

Here are a few hidden costs people miss when starting a small business:

1. Trademarking The Business Name – You spend a lot of time in the planning process and coming up with just the perfect name for your new business so you want to make sure that you protect it so others do not try to use your name. For additional details on how to do this click HERE.
2. Technology, Including Software/Equipment – So you have your name selected now it is time to purchase the technology. For myself and Melinda if we run with the restaurant idea we would need cash registers, POS order taking systems, credit card machines plus office equipment. This is just a small piece of what it will take to make a business run.
3. Setting Up A Dedicated Internet/T1 Service – Now that you have your business name and equipment decided on you now need reliable internet service to keep your business running. Make sure you find a dependable internet provider because there would be nothing worse than losing your internet and having your business come to a stop.  For reliable internet go here http://www.xo.com/services/network/dia/Pages/overview.aspx

These are just a few hidden costs associated with starting a small business.

My father owns his own roofing company so I have seen a lot of the things he has had to go through to ensure success. Owning your own business is a lot of work and at times extremely stressful but in the end it is all worth it.

This post was sponsored by About Dollar, a financial information resource with articles on topics ranging from personal savings to corporate accounting.

More and more people are meeting the person of their dreams online via dating websites. I remember when this form of dating first started and I thought to myself there was no way this would ever last but I was clearly wrong. I remember when Match.com was the big place to go but now you are seeing so many different dating sites online from datingagency.com to eharmony.com.

Today you see ads in many different forms advertising dating all over the world not just the US. I receive emails all the time in my spam folder for singles in London as well as many other counties. Dating in London, the US as well as all over the word has turned to online.

What happened to meeting people the good old fashion way like at work, a bar or being set up on a blind date? Guess these forms aren’t as popular as they once were but I have a hard time wrapping my head around meeting someone online. Melinda and I met the old fashion way; at a brew pub in Delaware where we got to speak face to face and got to know each other. I like the face to face interaction when you first meet someone in person but I do understand weeding out people who do not interest you online.

There is no right or wrong way on how people should meet and it is all personal preference but my preference is in person face to face.

How did you meet your significant other? Do you have a preference on how you would/would’ve liked to meet your mate?

With three children to educate we spend a lot of time trying to keep up with the latest information about our community’s education system. A friend who teaches in our local school system mentioned an interesting new initiative which teachers are finding to be helpful in building their teaching skills and maximizing available resources.

This program, called the “Systemfor Teacher and Student Advancement” (TAP) utilizes a number of different strategies to attract talented teachers to the profession and retain them in the schools. The system was initiated by education philanthropist Lowell Milken and is managed today by a recognized teacher support organization, the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET).

TAP was developed following extensive research into proven methods of teacher in-service training. The goals of the program include identifying new teaching methods, finding opportunities for professional growth, encouraging peer mentoring and implementing strategies for improving teaching skills.

Schools which incorporate TAP integrate the program’s key elements which include restructuring the school day to allow teachers to collaborate on curriculum planning, introducing new methods of instructions, introducing strategies for peer support and allowing teachers to pursue career advancements even while they remain in the classroom.

One of the components of TAP that I appreciate is that it’s based on sound empirical evaluation, not only theories. TAP schools use an assessment tool, the TAP Teaching Skills, Knowledge and Responsibility Standards, to ascertain students’ academic growth in schools which use the TAP method. Teachers are compensated according to their students’ academic achievements and growth. Teacher receive additional compensation if they accept added roles and responsibilities in the school.

This month the NIET is holding it 12th conference for policymakers, educators, representatives of foundations, businesspeople and community members who are bringing TAP to more schools. I look forward to its continued success in expanding the educational opportunities of our children.

I am going to fill you in on a little secret that not many people know; I suffer from pretty severe anxiety. 

Now to me it’s pretty severe because at one point I needed to go to my doctor to get a prescription just so I wouldn’t stress and freak out over everything.  When I say everything I mean everything.  The most trivial things to most would send me into a total tailspin like being a few minutes late for work or what we were having for dinner.  I am not kidding when I tell you that is how bad I was and I feel like I am better now but I still have anxiety that is hard to control sometimes.

I know I am not alone and I am glad to see there are places people can go for mental health treatment like the PCH Treatment Center.  I feel like I am pretty lucky because there are people who suffer from bi polar disease and extreme depression.  Not saying having anxiety is a walk in the park but I feel pretty lucky because it could be a lot worse.  Thankfully I am not depressed and I am of pretty sound mind but like I mentioned I get anxiety pretty often over most things.  Some things are easier to calm down from than others but I feel like I have gotten better over the years.  Not 100% but better to the point where I am currently not on any medication.  Some days are bad and I could really use medication but I am trying to manage myself without the use of medication.

Like I said some days are better than others but I am doing everything I can to live my life as normal as I possibly can.

Tax time is upon us yet again and hopefully you haven’t missed a tax payment or still have unfiled tax returns from years past.  If you are having tax troubles you may want to check out www.friedlaw.com/tax/. 

Having a tax problem is a problem I am sure you are not interested in having.  I guess who would be interested in having the IRS knocking on their door looking to settle up a past debt.  If you are one of those people who have fallen into tax troubles don’t wait until it is too late, get help from a tax relief service. 

A tax relief service will be able to provide you with an attorney who is verse in tax law and will know what to do and how to help you settle up with the IRS.  The IRS is an organization that isn’t very patient so if you find yourself in a tax situation get help ASAP.

When I was living in Maryland there were a few people I knew who had tax problems in the past and sought help from a tax relief service.  They said getting profession help was the only way that they were going to avoid the full brunt of Washington, DC and the IRS.  They said they knew they were in too deep and owed to much money to the IRS and trying to resolve it on their own wasn’t an option.  The funny thing is when you are owed a refund it could take up to twelve weeks but when you owe Washington, DC there is no grace period what so ever.  You need to settle up and settle up fast.

People from time to time slip into tax trouble and need a little assistance to make it right so if you ever find yourself in this kind of position please be sure to get help from a tax relief service and get it taken care of so you can avoid further headaches.    

Have you ever been in tax trouble? If so what did you do to get is resolved?

I remember when Melinda and I first met over ten years ago her and I both lived in apartments which in a way was nice because the rental management was there to take care of everything and anything you needed done in regards to maintenance.

When you make that move from apartment to your own place you no longer have that staff at your disposal and you become the property manager.  If the washer breaks you now need to figure out how to get it fixed or if it needs to be replaced where if you rent all you need to do is make a phone call to have it taken care of.  We are currently renting our property from a private owner versus a complex type place which in a way is nice.  I feel our place is a lot nicer­­ than a townhouse that would be in a huge complex type setting.  Our landlord lived in our place before we rented it so it was painted nicely and had a lot of upgraded features that a typical rental property wouldn’t have .  Whenever we need something done I either call our landlord or I will do the work myself depending on what needs to be done.

Another thing is when you get your own place more and more places now have hoa management and that is to try to keep the neighborhood as neat, clean and uniform as possible.  I feel there are pros and cons to a hoe association but usually in the long run the pros win over the cons.  I know where we are currently living has hoe management and it appears to be very beneficial.  This summer they are looking to put some money back into the community and install a bigger and better playground for the kids which we are looking forward to.  Again these are just my opinions and everyone needs to find a place that is just right for them where they can feel comfortable in calling it home.

What are your thoughts on renting vs buying?