“Do guys like it when gals make the first move? We heard it from the men themselves, and this is what they had to say.”

So what do you do when you fall hard for a cute co-worker or your college crush? Do you just bat your eyelids and wait for him to ask you out, or do you just push his chair back, and strategically place your heel in between his thighs as you express your love for him? While you’ve probably heard plenty of contradicting opinions from everyone around you, including your friends, your mom, and your sweet old aunt, we decided to let the men speak for themselves.

• 80% of the guys who polled at our website said that they would absolutely appreciate the woman who would ask him out to get together!

• 10% said that they wouldn’t mind being given subtle hints, but they wanted to be the one to ask the girl out.
• 10% said that they wouldn’t like it if the girl made the first move. They preferred the old world chivalry and wanted to be the one to ask the girl out themselves.

A few chivalrous men wondered aloud if the thrill of the chase was lost in this new millennia woman, but on the other hand, women believe that asking a guy out themselves showed that they were confident, independent, and not afraid of failure!

So if you want to go ahead and ask this man out, go right ahead, but do remember to be casual and upfront, rather than clingy and desperate. Instead of saying “I love you” (duh!), say something like, “Hey, would you like to go out this Saturday?” And we can assure you, he’ll be flattered!

Many people have been asking me to post my favorite list of bargain shopping sites.

A few months back, I started learning more about bargain shopping, coupon stacking, using sale flyers to do my shopping, etc. It takes a lot of time, but to me it is like a game. I like to see how much I can save weekly and how many items I can get for free.

Since I started, I have found the following 10 sites to be very useful in helping me understand how to bargain shop as well as alerting me to deals and specials at the stores I shop. Some of these sites overlap in the offers they find and post, but all are valuable to subscribe to if you want to learn all there is to know about bargain shopping.

My Top 10 Favorite Bargain Shopping/Savings Blogs (in no particular order):

1. DealSeekingMom.com – This blog is written by Tara who is dedicated to helping other moms learn how to save money in order to stretch their budgets.
2. SavingQueen.com – Maria writes this blog and she offers coupons, daily deals and sales updated on a daily basis.
3. NeverPayRetailAgain.net – I love Jodi’s advice at this site. She has found a way to live the good life while spending a lot less. She is a hip mom who loves fashion at a (steep) discount and saves a ton of money on the things her family needs, like food and toiletries, so she has the money to splurge on the things she wants – like vacations, clothing, and a healthy savings account. I feel my philosophy is similar to Jodi’s.
4. ConsumerQueen.com – Melissa at ConsumerQueen.com is great. She is the money saving mom who helps you fight the rising costs of the economy by changing the way you shop, and giving you frugal tips.
5. CouponDivas.com – I also love Kitty’s blog where you can find great tips and links to online coupons. She loves blogging, shopping, celebrity gossip, saving money, and of course, chocolate! In addition, she has a listing of restaurants where kids can eat for free.
6. Shop4Freebies.com – This is a great site for getting tons of freebies. So far, I have received samples for deodorant, Dunkin Donuts coffee, granola bars, snack packs, cologne for men and dozens of coupons for free products or savings.
7. Coupons.com – This site has hundreds of coupons that can be clicked on and printed. Their selection changes often.
8. MoneySavingMom.com – This blog, written by Crystal, is dedicated to helping you find great deals, stretch your hard-earned dollars, and live on less than you make so you can save more and give more.
9. DealFindingMom – This blog is written by Ronell who loves to find ways to save money and share tips.
10. TheCouponizer.com – I use and recommend this product for storing all of the coupons you clip. I desperately needed an organization system and found that this one worked well and was a manageable size. You can also find coupons and other offers at this site.

So there is my list. What have I missed. Are there any sites you use for finding coupons and bargains that is not listed above? Please leave a comment with the details and a link. Thanks

COUPON WORKSHOP: On July 25th from 10:00am – 11:30am, I will be teaching a course on how to use coupons and bargain shop at the Barrington Public Library in Barrington, NH. Space is limited to 30 people, call 664-9715 to register.

Traci Bisson has been a mom since February 2000 and an entrepreneur since August 2000. Eight weeks after she returned from maternity leave, the company where she had been employed for five years went out of business. She decided to try doing her own thing and failed miserably. After another year of working for two different companies (the first laid off the department she worked in and the other was showing signs of going under), she decided to try entrepreneurship again. Raising her two children and growing her company, Bisson Barcelona, has been both challenging and rewarding. Her story has been told in dozens of publications, including the Associated Press, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB.com), Plan Ahead Get Ahead (cover story), Union Leader, The Portsmouth Herald, Our Times and Seacoast Ventures.

I received a call on Monday from a reporter at NH Public Radio. She wanted my opinion about the newly proposed Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations for online product reviews by parents.

The reporter complimented me on being well versed on the subject. Honestly, I knew nothing about it when I received her call. I Googled the subject and absorbed everything I could about the topic before calling her back. I am confident I gave her some good sound bytes.

If this is a topic you are not familiar with, don’t wait until the media calls before you learn more about it. This is something that every parent blogger should be aware of since it will affect how product reviews are handled in the future.

My opinion is that if you are an honest blogger and you remain transparent and candid with what you write then you have nothing to worry about.

Here are a few articles you should read:

Going through a divorce is a very challenging time in a person’s life. It is hard to adjust to being single again, as well as living “out of the habit” of being married, especially if you have been married for many, many years.

It is suggested that you use this precious opportunity to rediscover yourself. Think of this time in your life as an adventure to explore the real you. If you have worked outside the home combined with being a mom and wife for the last ten, fifteen or twenty years, you may have lost yourself along the way. Certainly not on purpose, but as most women try to do it all as “super” moms, many times we put our own wants and needs on hold to keep our families and jobs running smoothly!

Take a deep breath and let’s start to rediscover your true passions and say…
Will the Real Me Please Stand Up!

Tip#5 What Makes Your Heart Sing?

What really matters to you? What do you feel is your true purpose in life? If someone asked you that question, how would you answer them?

Why is it so important to be clear on what your life’s purpose is? Knowing your purpose, will give you a true sense of who you are and why you were put on this earth. It gives your life direction and helps you make clear and easy decisions concerning that direction. It’s your compass! Without a purpose, can your life be compared to a piece of driftwood? Floating endlessly in whichever direction the tide decides to take it and ending up on any beach with no will of its’ own.

When you live your life based on your purpose you are living in integrity with yourself and are in alignment of who you really are in all aspects of your life – body, mind and spirit. Take this time to focus on what really matters to you. Feel the true passions that exist in your heart and write them down.

As the Founder of the National Association of Divorce for Women and Children, Joanie’s passion is to help women be the best they can be as well as become role models for their children and community. The 24/7 Resource Center was created not only because of the lack of support and guidance Joanie experienced after her divorce, but for the many women who experience the same challenges.       

Joanie became a successful business owner of a True Value Hardware store at the age of twenty five. After eighteen years in the retail arena, she embarked on a professional career as a speaker, author, business/personal coach specializing in divorce and a Certified Behavior Specialist. She is also the Divorce Specialist for the National Association of Baby Boomers.

To continue to help provide a healthy lifestyle for women and children, Joanie is the Founder of the non-profit Happy Wednesday Foundation which provides funding for women’s educational mentoring programs during and after divorce.

For more support and encouragement during and after divorce, visit the National Association of Divorce for Women and Children.