RLROUSE Infoblog

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Got a ‘bucket list’? The time to start on it is right now.

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Living (and loving) Life

We all have hopes, aspirations and most of all, dreams –  things we want to experience and accomplish in life. In other words, a ‘bucket list’.

Some dreams are big, like taking a cross-country road trip or winning the lottery. Others are more subtle goals like wanting to bowl a perfect game or completing a tandem sky-dive jump.

What’s on your own personal bucket list? Are they things that simply require blind luck or are they dreams that can be turned into reality simply by making it happen?  [Read more…]

The Pregnancy Strategy: A Month by Month Guide

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The excitement of finding out you are pregnant is the most indescribable feeling in the world, however after this comes the worry over making sure everything is ready in time for baby’s arrival.

If you are at the stage where the initial rejoice has quieted down and you are now looking for practical advice, a month by month strategy of how to prepare is just the thing you need. Get comfortable as you are taken through how to get ready for your baby with ease.

Here is a run-down of what to expect as your pregnancy proceeds from month to month, beginning with the second month: [Read more…]

Budgeting Guide for Tough Financial Times

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Many people are experiencing financial hardship today. People who have never experienced the pinch of economic stress are buckling under the pressure of abysmal unemployment rates, high cost of living and record-high interest rates.

If you are among those struggling in today’s financial world, you may have wondered how you will make all of your payments at the end of the month. How should you prioritize your bills and keep afloat in this turbulent time?

Food and Household Necessities

Set aside money for your personal survival needs first. If you pay all of your bills but cannot eat, you are left with another difficult obstacle. Budget yourself tightly: Buy only the necessities when it comes to food. Skip expensive items such as fast food or sugary beverages. In addition to food groceries, budget for soap, toilet paper, tooth paste and laundry detergent as well. If you have infant children, include the cost of formula, diapers and other supplies, as needed. [Read more…]

Breaking the Denial: A Hoarder’s Journey from Lies to Living

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Most of us live in denial about how cluttered our lives are from a material point of view. We collect ‘stuff’ that fills our living spaces and our lives. We accumulate so much of it that it becomes overwhelming, forcing us to live in denial of our hoarding tendencies.

I’m speaking from personal experience of course but I have taken stock, tried to rethink things, tried to be honest, stop lying to others and myself and deal with things that are junking up my life.

At a certain point it become essential, particularly if our storage cupboards are so bloated that we live in fear of them bursting open, a sea of trappings gushing forth into our living rooms, confronting us with what has by now become a personality disorder. [Read more…]

Using Natural Light In Your Home

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Lighting can make a dramatic difference in a home, office, or in fact any building. Our ancestors were masters at making the best of natural light, but to be honest this only worked well in warmer climates until glass windows were invented, and even then only the richest of people and the Church could afford glass windows!

Using Natural Light – Light Pipes

Natural light can be used in even enclosed spaces with no direct access to outside light by the use of a ‘light pipe’. This is in fact a very old idea – the Egyptians used to use a similar setup to light the insides of their tombs and monoliths.

The idea was that strategically placed mirrors would in effect direct light from the outside to where it was needed. If done properly, this would fill a room with light even though there were no windows. All that was needed was one opening with direct access to the sun. [Read more…]