(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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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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At a time when statistically, between 40 and 45 percent of U.S. marriages end in divorce, Gerry and his bride, 80-year-old Lilo, have been happily married for 58 years. “People often ask us what the secret to our success is and I tell them it’s simple really. The secret lies in the long lost principles of love and respect.”

Gerry and Lilo met quite by chance back in 1950 at a ski lodge in the Adirondacks. “I was there with another date when I saw a pretty girl sitting on the floor playing an obscure European game I knew with another boy,” explains Gerry. “She said, ‘Do you know how to play?’ I said, ‘Sure!’ She won the game, but I won in the long run.”

After that chance encounter at the Speculator Ski Lodge, Gerry couldn’t stop thinking about Lilo. “We had so much in common, I knew she was the one for me, and that we had to be together,” says Gerry. It took him six weeks to track her down again and, you could say, the rest is history. They were married a short time later.

Gerry and Lilo raised five children together, and now have 15 grandchildren. “Like any other couple, we’ve had plenty of squabbles over the years, but unlike most, we always kiss and make up before going to bed. That’s our golden rule,” laughs Gerry.

Over the years, they’ve been asked for advice on how to build a marriage that, like theirs, will stand the test of time so many times that they recently decided to write a book on the subject. “Wonderful Marriage, A Guide to Building a Great Relationship that Will Last a Lifetime (BenBella Books) hit store shelves on April 1, 2008, the date of their 58th wedding anniversary.

The book is divided into three sections, each offering great advice to people in the various stages of a relationship: looking for love, starting a great relationship and building a joyful life together.

“No matter what stage of the game you’re in, it’s imperative that you have a lot in common with your significant other if you want the relationship to grow,” explains Gerry. When he and Lilo first met, both enjoyed skiing, and had similar beliefs about what Gerry calls “The Big Six.”

1. Religion: You have to agree on and feel comfortable with what role religion plays in your lives.

2. Money: You have to share common views on money — how you’ll earn it, save it and spend it.

3. Sex: You both have to enjoy sex together and feel that sex between you is important and great — and be willing to make it even better.

4. Children: You need to agree on whether you plan to have children, when, how many, how and where you plan to raise them, and what to do if you can’t have them.

5. Recreational activities: You have to share ideas about how you will spend your time together — what recreational activities you both enjoy — and how you’ll sometimes spend your time on your own.

6. Unacceptable behavior: You have to be totally comfortable with each other’s behavior and agree on what is acceptable — and what is not.”

“If I had to add a 7th rule,” says Gerry, “It would be: Don’t settle for a relationship that isn’t great. Before you get married, make sure the person you are pledging to spend the rest of your life with is definitely the one for you.”

“You know you have a great marriage when 10, 20, 30, even 58 years down the road, you can still say to each other, ‘I’m glad you married me,’” adds Lilo.

“Wonderful Marriage, A Guide to Building a Great Relationship that Will Last a Lifetime” is available in bookstores everywhere, through online retailers or on the publisher’s Web site: www.WonderfulMarriage.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Is Living Together Before Marriage A Good Idea?

A huge number of people surely think that way because the number of couples who decide to live together has all but doubled during the past decade. Couples feel that it is easier to decide whether or not to marry the person they love after they take a “trial run”.

Most of these people shun marriage, not because they do not believe in this institution, but because they hate divorce. Since divorce is the order of the day in the present age, couples do not want to risk marrying and ending in divorce so they agree to leave the door open.

The Advantages Of Living Together Before Marriage

Living together before marriage would help the couple to see each other closer and analyze whether the other is really the “marrying type”. A fear that haunts most couples in love is that after marriage they would fall into stereotype roles which would destroy the feelings they have for each other. With cohabitation, since the possibility of ending the relationship is always there, both the members work hard at the relationship which makes living together before marriage a great proposition.

Another advantage from this arrangement is that money matters are not taken for granted and neither is sex. These are two of the most common marriage busters which in these types of relationships are given their due importance. Since there is no permanent legal commitment, both members feel obligated to play fair and keep one another is the loop on these two aspects.

The Disadvantages Of Living Together Before Marriage

There are a few disadvantages as well.  One of the most glaring is the plight of the children who would be born illegitimate, though the society does not frown upon this any longer. However, the children would feel the same trauma when their parents separate (if they do) as with a divorce and the live-in relationships are far easier to break than a marriage.

It is also difficult to keep track of all the common property created which makes it difficult to divide if the relationship does not work out.

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What Is Marriage?

Marriage is a social institution recognized by the law where a man and a woman decide to live together. The children born under this institution are recognized by law as legitimate. Many argue that marriage is an unnecessary legalization of a relationship since love for one another does not grow or diminish because you have a marriage certificate in hand. However, the legalization protects the wife and the children in case there is any irresponsible behavior.

Marriage is indeed a partnership of heart and mind where you are supposed to share everything. In order to keep this partnership going a lot of effort is involved both physically and emotionally. This is not a one time investment from where you can reap your profits life long; rather it is like trading where the profits accumulate from every day’s earnings.

The answer to what is marriage is different among different age groups. For teenagers who have pink shaded glasses marriage is an ideal destination where everything can be as you would want it. For young people, marriage is a struggle to shape their future by juggling their career and their marital life;  for older people marriage is a life time commitment where each person contributes all they can for the other persons betterment.

What Is Marriage To A Divorcee?

Often the marriage ends in divorce or separation. How does a divorcee look at marriage after they go through a broken relationship? Most of the people who divorce are open to find another life partner. They believe that mistakes can happen and compatibility is not always a logical fall out from a good chemistry. Some people come out from divorce so bitter and disappointed that they would not want to consider getting into another relationship. In most cases, divorcees are more circumspect about a second marriage but open for close emotional and physical relationships.

To sum up the answer to what is marriage very much depends upon the persons whom you ask and the circumstances that surrounded their marriage.

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Marriage statistics vary from state to state and country to country but the trend is the same; more young people are opting to dissolve their marriage way too soon. Of course if there is a legitimate reason like an abusive husband or an unfaithful wife, having the option to divorce is a great privilege. There are many religions, such as Hinduism, where the women is bound to the man she marries for seven births as they believe in reincarnations. She cannot file for divorce under the laws of her faith. Some secular, governmental institutions may allow for some loopholes but it is not allowed in the strictest sense.

Therefore, having the option is great but misusing it is not especially if a lot of money or children are also in the equation. There are so many statistics about broken marriages where alimony and child support payments force people to file for bankruptcy. What may have been solved by some compromises ends up becoming another failed marriage statistic.

Aim for Middle Ground

One way to reverse these depressing marriage statistics is to offer pre-marital counseling to young and old couples so that they realize that driving thru a chapel in Vegas is not just something you do for fun. It is reversible, but it need not be an excuse to not give the relationship a fair shot. Compromise is the biggest thing you can do to make your marriage succeed.
If he likes to spend time with his parent’s and that drives you crazy, middle ground can be found. You could plan to do something else that day or just visit them for a while en route to a romantic dinner with your honey.

Think of it as an investment where you will see dividends when you can use the doting grandparents as free babysitters for your children. Look for that silver lining in every cloud and resolve to not becoming a marriage statistic without giving your relationship a fair chance; after all you deserve that much.

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Marriage Counseling

After you’ve gone through a marriage separation, it’s going to be difficult living on your own. Either you moved out or your partner moved out, but now you’re on your own and you’re going to have to get used to it. In order to fix your marriage, however, if that’s what you hope to accomplish with this marriage separation, you might want to try marriage counseling. Marriage counseling should be attended by both parties if it’s going to be successful. The counselor can help you find common ground, can help the communication start flowing again and he or she can hopefully help you find that spark that first brought the two of you together in the first place.

It’s Not Working

If you’ve already had the marriage separation and it’s still going badly then it may be best for both parties to seek a divorce. A divorce should be the final option, however, as too many people get divorced over the littlest things. If your problems amount to someone not picking up after themselves or they’re not good with money, these things can be worked out and fixed. If it’s something bigger, however, then divorce may be the only option. A marriage separation at least helps you step back from the situation to see why it’s not working and it allows you to see it from another side that you previously couldn’t.

Hopefully, after you’ve undergone a marriage separation, the two of you can work out your differences and then get back together. Many couples do this. They separate for a while, then they get back together and some even get remarried to each other. They call this renewing their vows. It can be a great occasion and it can bring the two of you closer than ever. The main thing to keep in mind is that you did it. You worked out your problems through a marriage separation and you cemented that bond that you both share even further to create the best of relationships.

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Attending marriage seminars is an excellent way to make sure that you and your soon to be spouse understand what you each expect from one another. This will help better your odds at having a successful marriage or at least a happy one. Most of the marriage seminars that people come across are pretty decent when cost is considered. And even if the seminars cost a lot of money, it would be money well spent since it is your future together after all.

Where to Find Them

If you belong to a church, you may want to consider talking with your pastor or elder about the different marriage seminars that are out there. You may be surprised at just how much information they may have for you and they will probably be able to direct you in the right direction. The last thing you want is to waste your time and money and end up disappointed so if someone has advice for you; make sure that you listen to it. Your church may also hold its own marriage seminars, which will focus on a marriage in religion.

If that route does not work for you or you do not belong to a church, you may want to consider doing a fast search online and you will come across hundreds of marriage seminars that are taking place all year long. It is important though to find one close to you and one that fits with your personal schedule. While the marriage seminars are important, you want to make sure that you have plenty of time for it so that you are not feeling rushed. Just take your time and do a little bit of research and you soon will be on your way to learning more about making the most of your marriage.

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People who think that marriage retreats are used only when you are on the brink of divorce should consider taking a little time out of their schedule in order to work on their relationship. Working on making sure that the marriage stays in tact is the goal of any marriage retreat and should be taken seriously. This is after all, a time for the couple to come together again in their love for each other and their goals in life. So whether you have been married a few years are starting to feel like it is just a routine or if you are seriously having troubles in your marriage, you really should consider going on a little marriage retreat to help make things right again.

Finding a Marriage Retreat

There are many places that are set up just for the purposes of a marriage retreat and you can find a lot of these places being advertised on the Internet. Once of the most important things to keep in mind though is that the person, or persons, who will be running the marriage retreat, is professional and truly experienced in this line of work. Because if they are not, you will not get the benefits you went there to find and this would just be a waste of time. Make sure you check out the place and their references before picking a place on the Internet as these are not always so cheap and you do not want to waste any money.

Now, if you do not like the idea of signing up for a marriage retreat off of the Internet, you could always talk with your friends and family to see if they know of any places. You may be surprised what you learn just by asking a few people and remember, there is nothing to be ashamed of as every marriage deserves a marriage retreat every once in a while. Also, if you are involved in a church, it is an excellent idea to ask your Priest or Pastor, as they may be able to point you in the right direction. And the marriage retreat they could advice you on would probably be centered on your religion, which makes it even better.

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