(ARA) – Summer is all about spontaneous getaways, romantic interludes and young love, but the current economic condition can take its toll on your relationship. With financial stresses at an all time high, it’s often easy to put your romance on the backburner. In fact, 43 percent of U.S. couples say the recession has caused them to argue more often and primarily about finances, according to a recent survey by PayPal.

“Everyone is looking for ways to cope with the recession — whether it’s dinner on a budget, staying on top of your game at work, or cutting back on travel, and in the midst of trying to find these solutions, relationships are sometimes the first thing that suffers,” says Microsoft senior product manager, Karin Muskopf. “MSN.com put together a recession survival kit that offers our readers simple tips for coping with the stress of the economy, including a special section with tips and tricks on how to keep your relationship fresh and stress-free during the tough times.”

There are also some interesting ways to keep spending to a minimum and fun to a maximum, such as date night ideas for under $15.

* Watching the Sun Set: Like our love lives, it’s easy to overlook the beautiful things that happen around us every day. Watch the sun go down and share kisses under the stars.
Blanket to sit on: $6
Sunglasses: $2/each at your local drugstore
Lemonade: $1/each
Total: $15

* People-watching: Not all dates have to be steamy. Simply spending time together is what dating is all about. Pick a beautiful day to sit on a bench in a park and marvel at the wonders of nature.
Bottle of wine: $8
Plastic cups: $3
Bench: free
Marveling at the wonders of the public: More fun than you think
Total: $11

* Movie Night with Friends: Miss the wild abandon of your college days? Have the gang over for beers and movie — but save the make-out session for later.
Renting “Old School”: $5
Inviting your friends over: free
Going old school and having people throw in beer money at the door: awesome
Going streaking through the quad: optional
Popcorn for 20: $10
Total: $15

Other simple and affordable tips from MSN include:

* Stay on the same team: Remember you are not mad at each other, you are mad at the invisible enemy — money. Expressing disagreement, distress, and anger is part of problem solving. But, there’s healthy confrontation and then there’s kicking someone when he or she is down. Use your fingers for grabbing hands and holding on, not pointing. You’re in this together.

* Withdraw your identity from your bank account: We measure a lot in this society by the wealth a person appears to have. When it feels like the rest of the world is looking down, be the one who keeps your mate’s chin up. Affirm other kinds of success: friendship, parenting, a talent. Everyone needs to hear the words, “I believe in you,” and more so in times of self-doubt.

* Maintain a one-man-down policy with each other: If one is feeling depressed or anxious, the other has to stay up on his or her end of the seesaw.

* Reach out: Let friends and family in on what is going on with you and your financial situation. It will open the door to a flood of support. Admitting you are vulnerable will allow others to let down their own facade of “fine, thank you.”

* Take time out from worry: As with checking accounts, you aren’t always able to put into your relationship what is taken out. It’s hard to afford romance and intimacy when you are consumed by worry. Set aside time for you and your significant other, to enjoy time-out from worry.

* Always kiss each other good night: Don’t let the magic fade with overpowering conversations of the economic downturn, keep the romance alive, and never forget to kiss each other good night.

For additional tips on how to survive the recession, check out the MSN Recession Survival Guide at savings.msn.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Funerals Evolving into True Celebrations of Life

The next time you attend a funeral, don’t be surprised if it more closely resembles the last wedding you went to than the somber farewell you bid your grandfather 20 years ago.

“In recent years, funeral services have gone from a more formal or structured service with religious music, scripture, prayers and little or no information regarding the life of the deceased to a celebration of a life remembered through various means of personalization,” says Billy C. Wells, the chief executive officer at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home, a premier Dignity Memorial funeral service provider in Houston, Texas. Wells has either handled or helped arrange hundreds of funerals in his nearly 50 years in the industry, and says those held in recent years are a lot more memorable than those of yesteryear.

“The key to turning a funeral into a celebration of the life lost,” he says, “is the personalization which allows and encourages the family, their friends and visitors, to talk about the deceased and how he or she relates to the personalization items on display.”

Here’s just a small sampling of some of the more unique funerals Wells has seen recently:

* At a funeral for a well-known concert pianist, instead of having a casket for the visitation, the family opted to have a Steinway and Sons piano moved to the gallery of the funeral home and the florist created a huge spray of white flowers cascading from the strings of the piano onto a large carpeting of flowers surrounding the piano.

* For one visitation family members brought in items related to the deceased’s work as a professional horseman. Saddles, boots, numerous square bales of hay, partial fence structures, even a live horse in a make-shift temporary corral, transformed much of the décor of the funeral home.

* The florist turned the funeral home chapel altar into a hunting blind because the deceased was an avid hunter, and his hunting dogs were nearby in hunting position.

“By focusing the funeral on things the deceased enjoyed, as well as the experiences shared throughout his or her life, it encourages the sharing of stories and discussions of the deceased, and in some instances, may allow the family to learn of specials things about their loved one that otherwise they may have never known,” says Wells.

In addition to personalization, other changes that characterize the modern day funeral:

* The music is no longer strictly religious hymns. It includes the favorite music of the deceased.

* Receptions at the funeral home, or the family’s home after the service are more the case today than the exception. Many times they are elaborate catered events with entertainment.

* There used to be a time when photos were considered inappropriate. Today, it is commonplace to have video tributes, memory boards with selected photos, and even interactive voice tributes from friends or uploaded video tributes made at the funeral home during the visitation.

“Funeral services are changing to meet the needs of a generation that has different ideas about life — and about death,” comments Tom Hendler of the Dignity Memorial network of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers. “This is not your grandfather’s funeral. You can expect more, demand more and we can meet those demands. Our service standards go beyond expectation, to a level of service that actually surprises families because it is so far beyond what they imagined.”

For more information about the services available at modern day funerals, log on to www.dignitymemorial.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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The new Muirfield suite from Moen features a single-handle shower faucet and a single-handle tub/shower faucet with a large showerhead that creates a wider spray pattern for a great showering experience through full-body coverage.

No matter how well you think you know your partner, living under the same roof can reveal a whole new side of your significant other.

“Moving in together is a huge step,” says relationship expert Dennie Hughes of USAWeekend.com. “And, if ‘commitment’ is the ultimate goal, two other ‘C words’ will come into play – communication and compromise.”

While you may be ready to share your lives together, you may not be ready to share everything. Adjusting to your partner’s habits, quirks and little annoyances can be a challenge … and learning to share space is often the biggest obstacle. Before your living situation goes down the drain, think about separating — your stuff, that is.

Here are some tips to update your bedroom and bathroom to help ease the transition of living together.

Give Your Bed Some Room
When you move in, so do all your belongings. Help prevent space wars by using separate closets and dressers. This way, you and your partner can organize clothing, shoes and personal items with your own personal style and comfort. If your new home doesn’t have two closets, be sure to update the single closet with an organization system. Companies such as California Closets will customize storage solutions that will help give you both some breathing room.

While hogging the covers or tossing and turning is acceptable when alone, this can be frustrating for your partner … and make him or her wake up on the wrong side of the bed after a night of interrupted sleep. For a simple solution, purchase top sheets and blankets that are one size bigger than your mattress. And if budget permits, invest in a mattress that absorbs motion, like a Tempur-Pedic, so you won’t be disturbed when your partner tosses, turns or gets out of bed.

Achieving Bathroom Bliss
Gobs of toothpaste left in the sink is a top bathroom annoyance, according to a research study conducted on behalf of Moen Incorporated by Harris Interactive. So, don’t sweat these small things — split them!

Separate sink space helps eliminate tensions and makes getting ready with your partner easier. Stylish choices, such as Moen’s new Muirfield bathroom faucet, available at Lowe’s, offer a variety of options from single- and two-handle designs; standard-, mid- or high-arc spouts; and a variety of finishes to meet both of your design preferences. Plus, you and your partner can feel good knowing that the water-saving Muirfield faucets are WaterSense certified, meaning they meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) guidelines as environmentally responsible and efficient products.

In addition to splitting the sink area, be sure to install two of each bathroom accessory, such as the Ridgedale bath accessory collection from Inspirations by Moen. Separate robe hooks and towel bars ensure you each have your own personal space for your personal belongings.

Be sure to continue your organization into the shower, especially since for men, the number one shower pet peeve is having too many items. For a quick and easy solution, install shower baskets to provide convenient storage for shampoos and soaps, and remove clutter from around the tub.

Nothing ruins your mood in the shower quite like a weak spray. So, keep your partner happy with a superior showerhead that delivers a satisfying experience every time. The Muirfield suite, available from Moen in today’s most popular finishes, also features a single-handle shower faucet and a single-handle tub/shower faucet with a large showerhead that creates a wider spray pattern for a great showering experience through full-body coverage.

Couples That Share Together …
Although dividing the bedroom and bathroom helps smooth the transition of living together, don’t forget about the little things to ease common pet peeves. Be conscientious — restock the tissues and toilet paper when low, put the cap back on the toothpaste and make sure to clear counter space after your morning routine. Place dirty clothes in the hamper and make the bed together. Finally, designate an afternoon to clean together, and then celebrate your spotless home with a relaxing and romantic evening of quality time and communication.

With just a few minor adjustments and updates to your bed and bath, you can make the transition of living together easy and move toward your happily ever after.

For more information on the Muirfield bathroom suite or other Moen products, visit www.moen.com or call (800) BUY-MOEN (800-289-6636).

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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