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8 Inexpensive Home Decor Tips for Newlyweds

After the wedding, the next thing that newlyweds must invest on is the house. You may have to work harder to keep the interior look fresh. And, as you make significant changes in your house, it will have a tow on your paychecks.

But, that shall not always be the case. Here are 8 Cheap Home Decorating Ideas for you love birds…

1. FLARE WITH FRAMES

Add the “wow factor” to your side table by adding an attention-getting frame. Here are a mix of photo frames from Ebay.

Image Credits: DarrelBirkett via Flickr

2. POSH WITH PILLOWS

Whenever guests arrive, the first thing that they will see and stay longer on is the sofa. Dress up your dull sofa by adding bold printed cushions such as animal, island-floral themed or a suede pillowcase. IKEA offers a wide range of pillow cushions designs that range from $1.90 to $19.90! It is not only elegant but it is also affordable!

Image Credits: Stacie via Flickr

3. LIGHTS ARE EVERYTHING

Purchase more in lower-wattage bulbs to change a room’s mood from restful to romantic. And, if you want to take the romantic a level up…use table lamps or floor lamps to put a lights wherever you want to cuddle.

4. PUT A PAINTING ON

You may buy pop-art (Product name: KNISTA) , minimalist, and vintage looking (Product name: OLUNDA) illustrations for only $19.90 at IKEA. This will add beauty to your simple rooms.

5. REVAMP THE WALLS

One of the fastest ways to make your house extra expensive is by giving the walls a new look. Paint the walls of your living room with a higher contrast color to make it pop. Paint your kitchen orange to make the food inducing and the bedrooms purple to make it more relaxing.

Image Credits: Maegan Tintari via Flickr

6. GO GAGA FOR COLOFUL-POTTED GREENS

Having a few small plants in the kitchen will make it feel livelier. Adding a pop of color to its pots or vase will surely make your guests green with envy.

7. RUG IT UP

To quickly fix a room’s problem area, you may throw a rug on the floor. Rugs add an interest and an interesting focal point to the room. Shop around for bargain rug that fits your room.

8. WORK WITH WHAT IS AVAILABLE

One of the most efficient yet no-cost ways to redecorate is to rearrange and repurpose the things you already have. Search your house and think of the items you can change the setting in another room.

Make your kitchen chairs look new again with a little splash of spray paint and new fabric covers.

Image Credits: mattwalker69 via Flickr

These simple decor ways will not only change your house but also your lives as Husband and Wife!

Be a Smart Consumer: Avoid These 4 Marketing Tricks

To be a smart consumer, you must spend within your needs and not over your means. Marketing or Sales Agents like any other businesses are using the power of persuasion to gain profit. I’m not saying it is a bad thing (personally I think it is a talent), but it may influence the consumers to buy something that is rather unnecessary.

Image Credits: Andrew Stawarz via Flickr

On that note, here are 4 Marketing Tricks you shall learn to avoid…

1. Foot-in-the-Door

It is a technique that starts with small requests in order to gain a “YES” with bigger requests. This works because of our desire to be consistent in our commitments.

For example, Fitness Studios will make you test their services first by giving a 1-week free pass before offering you their packages. Do you really need a $1,800 worth of Gym Membership when you rarely have the time to go?

2. Door-in-the-Face

In contrast, this trick starts with a huge and unreasonable request in order for you to settle with a smaller request.

For example, your friend asks you to donate $100 to a charity institution and you declined. Your friend will then say: “can you at least donate $10”. And, you will agree and comply. The truth is, your friend only intends for you to donate $10.

3. Low-Balling

Technique to purposely offer a product at a lower price than one intends to charge. This tactic will make you buy something at an affordable price before revealing the hidden costs (i.e., insurance, the phone casing, or batteries).

Image Credits: JOHN LLOYD via Flickr

For example, a Car Salesman offers you an initial attractive offer that you can’t resist but then later increases the price because of a “mistake in labeling”. Once again, Psychology dictates that it works because of our need to be consistent in our choices.

4. Brainwashed by Advertising

There you have it! As Warren Buffett once said: “Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No. 1”. I hope that by knowing these, you will be able to make smarter consumer choices in the future.

5 Ways to Shop for Healthy Foods Without Spending Too Much

It is no secret that buying organic and healthy foods is more costly than buying junk. But, if you are willing to shop smartly, then you can enjoy the goodness and freshness of organic foods without breaking your food budget. Here are 5 Ways to Shop for Healthy Foods Without Spending Too Much…

1. Purchase Within Your Family’s Needs

Buy stocks of food to fit your whole family. Usually, to save more money, you will want to buy in bulk, but, not if you are a family of three or two. Rethink your family’s needs and list it down.

2. Shop Around

In order for you to find the best price in town, you must shop around different stores. Besides supermarkets, you can search for healthy foods in specialty stores, Gourmet Delis, Wet and Dry Markets, and even Online. For instance, you may go to two different stores to save money and buy the best product: one for the vegetables and one for the sea foods.

Image Credits: epSos .de via Flickr

3. Shop in Season

You will definitely save more money if you purchase the organic produce that is in season. Price always lowers when there is greater supply. Summer and fall are usually the best times to go creative with your food choices.

4. Grow Your Own Food

Growing your own food is organic at its finest. If you do not have a backyard or an apartment balcony there are community gardens for you to plant your own seed. Aside from being domestic, you can also save more money if you buy produce of the local supermarket’s brand (e.g. Mixed Vegetables by FairPrice).

5. Go Gaga over Greens

Kale, arugula, and spinach are some of the most nutritious and affordable foods you will find in a grocery store. As the color of the vegetable gets darker, the more nutritious it is because of its antioxidants and beta-carotene. If possible, buy the leafy greens that are not pre-packed because they are cheaper.

Image Credits: Amazing Almonds via Flickr

BONUS TIP! Stay on the outside aisles of the grocery store because the further you go inside, the less healthy it becomes. That is all for now. Have fun shopping!

4 Smartphone Mishaps that You Can Repair Yourself

Nowadays, almost everyone uses a hand phone or a digital device (e.g. tablet, laptop). And as these devices grow in popularity, its complexity, features and parts also increase.

When a hand phone or cell phone is broken during the 1990’s, people will probably self-repair it by the use of small screwdrivers or even a pair of tweezers. But, self-repairing a Smartphone is not possible now…or is it?

The truth is…there are some repairs you don’t have to pay someone for. I bring you the ultimate list of 4 Smartphone Mishaps that You Can Repair Yourself (and save money in the process)…drum roll please!

1. REVAMP THE CHARGING PORT

With continued use; your charger may not fit as well into the port as it did before. The simple way to fix it is to use a sharp toothpick to remove the lint and dirt from the port. Clean the rest of your phone by using cotton swab/ cotton buds/ cotton tips with drops of distilled water on it.

Image Credits: Yutaka Tsutano via Flickr

2. IMPROVE THE AUDIO QUALITY

Overtime, you may experience hearing an inferior sound when you plug the earphones into the “jack” (usually on the upper-right hand corner of the phone). To fix this audio quality, stick a cotton swab into the jack and use it to clear out any dirt.

3. REPLACE A SHATTERED SCREEN

Replacing your smartphone’s screen is usually do-able and it is easier than you think! All it takes is the right tools and a little courage. Get concise instructions online (here or here) and buy a repair kit if you don’t have a toolbox. You may buy a repair kit on IFIXIT or Ebay.

Image Credits: Toby Charlton-Taylor via Flickr

4. REVIVE A SOAKED SMARTPHONE

One of the common mishaps is water damage. Even I experienced it myself. So, if your phone takes an unexpected swim, remove the battery (if possible), and place it in a bag of rice for one day or two to absorb the moisture within. With luck, this will do the trick.

Image Credits: rharrison via Flickr

Sources: Reader’s Digest Magazine, Lifehacker.com

Spare yourself some money and time by subtracting Smartphone repair to your expenses! Truly, there are some mishaps that you can handle yourself. All it takes are tools, courage, determination, and a little help from the Internet.

Watch Out for these 6 Grocery Store Tricks!

Have you ever experienced going into the grocery with a shopping list in mind, and ended up buying more? Maybe it is because you shopped hungry, or just because of the grocery’s marketing strategies. Some grocery stores have subtle, psychological, and clever tricks to make their consumers buy more. Thankfully, I’ve uncovered 6 Grocery Tricks that will help you save more on your shopping bill.

1. VISUAL ELEMENT: SHOPPING CARTS

Upon entering the grocery, you’ll notice the shopping carts. An invention designed in the late 1930s have grown in size over the years. Since larger purchases are easily done, the bigger the cart, the more money may be spent. So, if you intend to buy a relatively medium amount of items opt for using a friendly basket.

2. SENSORY ELEMENT: AROMA OF FRESHNESS

Imagine the smell of baked breads mixed with the fresh smell of flowers. Very enticing right? This is why newly baked goods and fresh flowers are placed near the front door. The goodness of smell will surely make you feel hungry, and keep your mood up!

Image Credits: Paul Swansen via Flickr

3. RIGHT SIDE PHILOSOPHY

Most grocery stores place popular items on the right side of the shelves to move shoppers from the left to the right. This is because all items throughout the store are strategically placed to follow the “right” path.

4. KIDS MATTER

Another strategy is to target the children’s interests because they play an influence on what goes inside the carts. Supermarkets purposely place cereals, toys, and sugary treats at a kid-friendly level. So, do not give in to what your kid wants (unless he/she makes a huge and uncontrollable scene) or you can just leave your kids at home.

5. HIDDEN ESSENTIALS

Essentials such as dairy, bread, eggs, etc. are placed at the back of the store and far away from each other so you’ll be forced to travel the whole store to get it. Once you have travelled, you probably bought more that what you’ve needed. By knowing this trick, you may start with going straight to the back with your shopping list on your hand to keep you on track.

Image Credits: Redjar via Flickr

6. LASTLY, THE NUMBERS GAME

Instead of putting a price of, “$4” for example, they will put an irrational price of “$3.99 or $3.96” to make you think that you saved more money by scoring a better deal. What’s more? They will also put that if you buy more then you will save more! It’s these small details that may sound silly but it surely works.

Sources: Grocery Coupon Network, Idea Finder, & Lifehacker

Grocery stores, like any other businesses, are looking for making profit. This is why they have used strategies and psychological obstacles to entice you to put more items in the cart. I hope that by knowing these tricks, you will be able to shop smarter and save more!

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