3 Tricks To Save Smart Daily!

Three small, yet effective ways to the keep the money in your wallet.

Restaurant hopping/ordering-in lunches
Every time you eat out or order-in, you're spending about Rs 200 to 400. Add that up for a month and you're talking about a lot of money. Money that is being wasted because you didn't plan ahead. So be a little firm with yourself. On weekends, decide the menu for the week ahead and pick quick, easy dishes that you can bring for lunch. That's not to say you can't indulge yourself once in a while.

Daily latte
Those daily Barista or Café Coffee Day lattes and cappuccinos are a steady trickle of money out of your wallet. So break the habit, brew your coffee at home, drink a cup or two, fill up a thermos and take it to work. You're then set for the day.

Expensive cellphone plan
Go through your phone bill. Do you use all the things you are paying for? Do you understand all the various things you are being charged for? If not, call up your service provider and find out. Many people get excited and register for extra features that they ultimately never end up using. Cut back on those things or find a better plan based on your usage pattern.

Are You Penny Smart?

 

1. Your company provides you with a medical insurance cover of `1 lakh per year. You:
A. Wonder why you need medical insurance. You are 26 and don’t foresee anything drastic happening in the near future.
B. Are happy the company take the policy—you’d have done it yourself otherwise.
C. Wonder if `1 lakh is enough cover for a person and her family. You wonder if you need to take another policy or enhance the amount on this one.

2. You are due for a huge bonus at the end of the year. You:
A. Are already anticipating what indulgence you can spend it on.
B. Think of putting the down payment on a car, and then the rest can be spent on having a good time. Investment before pleasure is a good idea.
C. Are going to split the money and put it away in securities and mutual funds. There is no such thing as too much investment.

3. Your company has not told you about your tax liability at the beginning of the financial year. You:
A. Are not bothered about this tax thing. Let the end of the year come and you will see what can be done.
B. Have a rough idea how much tax you will pay and ask your office to cut a flat amount every month at source.
C. Are going to see the tax planner right now; you will need to know how to handle investments so that you can save on your tax.

4. Your friend tells you that you should buy life insurance. You:
A. Ask her what good life insurance will do when you are not around to enjoy it.
B. Tell her you are aware of it and have a policy since it will help you save on tax.
C. You proudly show her the three policies you have made, explaining why life insurance is more than just a tax benefit, and how your family is covered should anything happen to you.

Mostly As You have no clue how to handle money. You have not even planned for the end of the year, let alone an uncertain future. It is high time you sat with an expert who can teach you how to plan your finances.

Mostly Bs You understand that savings and investments are good for you, although you are only human and like to splurge now and then. But every once in a while, it is good to take stock of what you are doing with your money and see whether you can change your investments.

Mostly Cs You could give lessons to others who need financial advice. You can afford to chill a bit and buy a car simply because it looks good and because it is good for your soul to splurge a bit now and then.

10 Rules To Follow Once You Move In Together

1. Discuss finances
Figure out how much money each of you will contribute to running your home.

2. Divide chores
You can’t do it all alone, and you shouldn’t have to.

3. Pick out furniture and furnishings together
You both need to feel comfortable in your home, so find the middle ground between lacy pillows and a barcalounger.

4. Establish hygiene and cleanliness rules
Yes, men get annoyed when women nag them about wet towels and dirty bathrooms. “But if one is mature, it will be easy to agree with the spouse who is trying to facilitate a more superior living situation,” says Dr Bhonsle.

5. Don’t neglect your friends and family
It is now, more than ever, that you need to make time for them.

6. Set aside ‘me’ time
Getting your quiet moments will help you better enjoy your time with your spouse.

7. Keep your relationship fresh
There’s no excuse for slacking off on the romance just because you’re married.

8. Privacy is essential.
No one can argue about the merits of taking a shower together, but don’t do away with the mystery in your relationship. Have areas cordoned off for your time alone, which might be useful if you want to take a time-out in the middle of a fight as well.

9. Communicate without arrogance
You may have had a perfectly valid point when you asked him to help with more household chores, but Dr Bhonsle points out, “I’ve had husbands saying that they wouldn’t have minded doing what their wives said if they had asked them nicely, instead of yelling at them or insulting them.”

10. Go out
Takeout and TV while cuddling on the couch can often be tempting, but resist the urge. You need to share new experiences together.

10 Weirdest Beauty Ingredients

 1. Snake venomThe new must-have poison in the latest beauty products wish-list is snake venom, an ingredient believed to steer the wrinkles away from your face. There are no positive results proved from the rancorous beauty ingredient yet people are ready to take the risk.

2. Umbilical cord
Novo Solutions MD has added a new dimension to the famous 'cord of life' - umbilical cord. Their scientists have launched a new anti-ageing product by extracting cell-free blood from the umbilical cord after the baby's delivery for making their famous beauty products line which by the way enjoys a huge success rate.

3. Beauty and the breast
Who would've thought that breast milk meant for your baby will turn into a famous beauty ingredient? Some midwives from Killmaster Soapworks, a natural soap manufacturing company became popular after using human breast milk, an uncanny ingredient for making soaps. Incidentally, they have received great response.

4. The catty smellGet catty and go on a prowl when it comes to choosing your perfumes, literally! The civet musk or civetone, a base substance for making high-end perfumes and colognes, is obtained from perineal glands of cats found in Asia and Africa. A perfect ingredient to unleash your wild instincts, believe perfumers!

5. Smashed cochineal beetles
Before you flaunt that red sexy pout or the hot blush on your cheeks, think again! There is a possibility you may be applying smashed cochineal beetles on your face, an ingredient used to get the deep crimson dye in cosmetics. If you've an aversion towards insects, read your beauty labels more carefully.

6. Whale's vomit
Whale's vomit known as ambergris (yes it has a name!) is used for making perfumes. Easily spotted on some American and Australian beaches, the substance is usually washed up by the waves. But it's only a fixative stuff that remains with an earthly and sweet odour which is used in perfumes.

7. Precious placenta
Placenta has become an essential ingredient for skin creams, applied on the face by beauty-obsessed women! The product now comes with a great packaging and is not at all as gruesome as it sounds.

8. Snail's secretions
From being a tried-n-trusted beauty ritual in the ancient times to being a high-end ingredient in beauty products, the snails' slime has crawled a long way on to heal all the skin problems faced by humans! In fact, it's such a pricey affair now that some women use the raw snail slimes available naturally in the gardens for their skin nourishment.

9. Nightingale's poop
Envy the flawless beauty of Geishas? Well, they sing a different tune when it comes to their facials with nightingale poop as their major ingredient. The uric acid content in this substance is supposed to do wonders for your skin. In fact, several spas in UK are following suit with this alternative beauty route.

10. Bull semen
Shampoo, conditioner and hair spas are passé. The new revolutionary product in hair care as vouched by some Europeans is bull semen. The proteins in the semen are supposed to make your hair healthy and add shine and volume to it.

5 Beauty Benefits Of Olive Oil!

Olive oil is known as the elixir of the Mediterranean. But few recognise its beneficial effects on beauty, having been popularised in India on platforms of nutrition and health only. While it’s great to sprinkle over salads and meats, if used regularly on your skin and hair, you can be transformed into someone with a well toned, soft and glowing demeanour.

To moisturise your skin: If you have dry skin, a massage once a week with olive oil is perfect as it penetrates deep into the skin layer and nourishes it. It has got an ingredient called squalene that improves the elasticity of your skin. Soaps that contain olive oil have less Ph levels as compared to others, and are gentle for the skin. Baby massages can also be done using olive oil.

Nourish your hair: Nourishing your hair with a mix of egg yolks and olive oil would help renew damaged hair cells, and deep condition them, making them shiny and lustrous. The hydroxytyrosol has anti ageing properties and this makes the hair shaft and root strong.

Nail care: If you have brittle toenails, the best remedy is a smear of olive oil before you sleep at night. Like castor oil, which has similar benefits, olive oil soothes, heals and nourishes nails and cuticles around the nail bed making them grow stronger. If you have time, you can also soak your feet in a bowl of warm water with a few spoons of olive oil, lemon juice and any other fragrant aromatherapy oil (just a drop).

Tending to eyes: Olive oil applied around the eyes will help reduce dark circles. You can also use it to remove eye makeup instead of a chemical based cream or astringent, as the oil will be nourishing too. You can find polyphenols in olive oil that have anti ageing and anti inflammatory properties that nourishes the skin.

Soft lips: For those who want to avoid chapped or dark lips, dab olive oil, especially if you are going out in the sun. Olive oil has essential vitamin E that helps protect dry lips and skin from strong UV rays.

Beauty Secrets In Your Kitchen

Sometimes, you don’t have to spend thousands of rupees or exceed your credit card limit for great skin-care. Here are some humble beauty heroes from your kitchen.

Mint
Irrespective of your complexion, pigments and patchy skin can be a buzz kill. Mint is not just good for your breath or for garnishing on your pasta, but it has superior purifying abilities. Once a week, use a face mask made of fresh mint leaves. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes. Wash it off with cold water. This will help tighten pores, reduce sun burns and tanning.

Turmeric
Turmeric is a one-stop solution to skin problems. Some wise guy discovered this and this gave way to haldi ceremonies before the wedding, considering there weren’t any expensive skin-care products or facials back then. It has a list of benefits—like antibacterial and anti-ageing properties, reducing pigmentation and stretch marks, and even curbing facial hair growth. If stretch marks are your worry, a mixture of turmeric, gram flour (besan) and raw milk/rose water/yogurt will help lighten the marks and even out the skin tone. The pack should be applied daily and kept until it dries completely.

Egg
Your favourite breakfast staple can work wonders for your dry and damaged hair. The yolk is rich in fats and proteins, which makes it a great natural moisturiser, while the white, which contains bacteria-eating enzymes, removes unwanted oils. For normal hair, use the entire egg to condition hair; use egg whites only to treat oily hair; use egg yolks only to moisturise dry, brittle hair. Once every two weeks, use half a cup on clean, damp hair. Leave on for 20 minutes, rinse with cool water and shampoo hair.

Honey
It doesn’t just coat your yummy waffles and pancakes, but honey also has the ability to absorb and retain moisture and this helps in keeping the skin well hydrated, fresh and supple. Get rid of those menacing dead skin cells with a natural scrub created with honey. Combine honey, lemon juice and then add sugar. Gently rub on your skin in a circular motion and leave it on for 10 to15 minutes and rinse with warm water.

Rock salt
Reiki therapists believe that bathing with rock salt removes negative energy from your body. There seems to be some science behind it. Dip yourself in rock salt water and the minerals and nutrients in the salt get delivered to your body cells in the form of ions to facilitate their absorption by your body. This causes an improvement in the appearance of your skin by increasing circulation. 

50 Things Every Bride Must Know

Getting married is not a cake walk! It takes a lot of hard work, preparations and amidst all this hustle bustle, we are bound to miss out on some simple yet extremely important things. So here is a quick check list of 50 such things that no bride should EVER forget.

1.    Brush your teeth and rinse your mouth before your wedding. You’ll be hugging a lot of people and bad breath is a strict no-no!
2.    Avoid underarm sweat patches by using an antiperspirant before putting on that heavily embroidered sexy choli.
3.    Avoid smoking! If you must smoke, keep some mints handy to do away with that cigarette smell!
4.    Make sure you adopt a moisturizing routine for your hands and feet well before your wedding day.
5.    Nothing beats the natural look. For yours, make sure you eat healthy, avoid alcohol and start a cleansing process.
6.    Have a trail run of your wedding day look. Hair, makeup, clothes, jewellery, the works. Better safe than sure!
7.    Getting a bikini wax is a personal decision; stick to what works best for you - waxing, shaving or using hair removal creams. If you can handle a little pain, waxing will see you hair-free throughout your wedding preparation and your Honeymoon.
8.    Dandruff is a strict no-no. If you have a problem, go for a specialised anti-dandruff treatment.
9.    For that day long freshness, drink plenty of water or fruit juice and stay as calm as possible.
10.    Don't spray perfume or deodorant on your wedding outfit! They're meant for your skin and can stain the fabric.
11.    Dark circles can ruin those wedding photos. Make sure you rest your tired eyes and get a decent night’s sleep.
12.    Smile. No matter what, smile. Someone is always looking at you or taking a picture. And you don’t want a surprise!
13.    A flash of skin is fine, just go easy on the cleavage though. You father, grand-father, and may be great grandfather too may be present.
14.    Any new beauty treatments should be tried one month before rather than a day before the wedding.
15.    Before your wedding you should practice your make up at home. Don’t be tempted to try anything new on the day. You should test the make up in natural light and on camera before the big day.
16.    Choose a hair and makeup look that bests represent you. What may suit on Vidya Balan may just not look good on you.
17.    Consult your gynecologist if your periods are due on the wedding night or during honeymoon.
18.    A good exfoliating scrub helps you get rid of dead skin cells. Periodic exfoliation will lead to glowing skin on your wedding day.
19.    Whether you have a complexion like Katrina Kaif's or not, it's still a good idea to visit a dermatologist.
20.    Go for photo-rejuvenation to take care of color imperfections in your skin. This treatment should be done for 3 months before wedding.
21.    Skin polishing helps get rid of acne scars, black heads while giving a polished look to your skin.
22.    About a week before your Big Day, make an appointment with your dentist; get your teeth polished so they are ready for that great smile.
23.    Remember to pack your makeup remover when you head to the hotel. The bridal makeup is too thick to be washed away with water alone.
24.    Don’t drench yourself in perfume. A subtle fragrance is more pleasing to the senses than the overwhelming ones.
25.    Going for back- facial is a good option. It cleanses tones and exfoliates the exposed body parts like shoulder and back.
26.    Lip color should be coordinated with the color of the blush. If not done so, blush appears too harsh.
27.    While applying blush, do not go too far below the cheekbone, as it will pull the face down visually.
28.    Avoid eating oily food and drink lots of water for radiant skin. Regular exercising will give you a healthy looking and glowing skin.
29.    Do not rush out for facials just few days before the “Big” day. Those extreme facial procedures may lead to harsh effect on your skin.
30.    Steam facial is a good option because it enhances the complexion of the bride and also it proves to be relaxing for her.
31.    Brides often choose to wear open toed footwear. In this case, special attention needs to be given to foot care.
32.    Getting a regular manicure done gives a healthy and smooth look to the bride’s hands. It prevents the hands from getting dry.
33.    A bride should take hair spa, full body massage. The sole aim behind doing it is make a bride look exceptionally fresh and beautiful.
34.    Have a handful of blueberries on your cereal as they're packed with anti-oxidants, fantastic at preventing fine lines.
35.    Bridal lingerie should be the last thing on your shopping list. Breast area is the first to get affected due to change in weight. The wrong size bra can play havoc with your neckline.
36.    Stop drinking alcohol at least two weeks before the wedding. It reduces puffiness and makes you look fresh.
37.    It is amazing how just a little workout with those tiny-winy dumbbells tones your arms. Needless to say, toned upper arms will make you look all the more amazing on your D-day. So let go of the laziness and pick up some weights. You can thank us later.
38.    Wedding music: this is a very important bit! Make sure to brief the DJ to not play Hindi picture wedding songs that are bound to make you and your family members emotional. You don’t want to keep crying through the entire ceremony.
39.    Don’t worry and stay calm should be your mantra during the few days before and after your wedding. And worrying about how your one set of friends will get along with the other set should be the last concern on your mind.
40.    Do not starve! You will be busy doing a lot of things, surrounded by a lot of people.
41.    Amidst all this, do not ignore your health. Keep yourself hydrated and eat good food. Skipping meals or not having enough liquids will show on your face!
42.    On your wedding day just concentrate on enjoying yourself. There are other people who love you taking all the stress to make your day memorable. It’s your big day and you don’t need to worry about anything.
43.    Stay away and we mean truly STAY AWAY from kids. They shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near your room or dressing or makeup area for your own good. DON’T fall for their cuteness and innocent smiles this one day.
44.    You want to be clam and composed while getting your hair and makeup done. So while kids shouldn’t be allowed inside your room, friends who can make you giggle and aunties who can bore you with their banter and mother and sister who can make you emotional should be barred entry too.
45.    Remember, makeup is used to enhance and highlight your features and not to turn you into somebody else. Brief your makeup artist well in advance about your kind of style. After all, you don’t want to shock your man and his family.
46.    Packing for your honeymoon? Divide clothes into categories like - sexy, comfortable, stylish, evening wear, adventure and then pack enough options under each in your bag. Change your look and clothes as per your day’s plan.
47.    You will have a makeup expert and a stylist working on your look during your wedding functions. But what post that? Being the new bride, you would love to look all dolled up and pretty post marriage too. So what you need is the basic knowledge of makeup. Kohl, mascara, lip gloss, BB cream, makeup remover, moisturizer, and all about eye shadow, blushes and brushes! We all have that friend who was a beautician in her past life; ask for her help and tips.
48.    Draping a saree: It is important for every Indian woman to learn the art. Irrespective of how often you are going to wear it. Learn the tips and tricks from your mother and a few saree draping styles from your aunts or cousins who are pros. A woman looks the best in saree and as a newly bride, you might be expected to wear sarees for a few important occasions post marriage.
49.    We all have a good profile and bad one. Make sure that you keep that in mind when your wedding pictures are being clicked. Also, brief your photographer and do some practice shots to get it right on the D-Day.
50.    Bridal first aid kit: Didn’t hear of it? Well, it’s nothing but a kit with alternative options for your top, makeup, clips and accessories for your hair, and a pair of sandals. So if at all anything goes wrong at the last minute, you know you have a Plan B in place!