June 2018 - Oh My Heartsie Girl

June 30, 2018

5 Ways to Brighten Your Spouse’s Day

Life is hard enough so we want to make sure that we make our spouse’s day a little brighter in whatever way we can. We want our spouse to feel our love by showing it because it’s a good feeling that everybody deserves. There are so many ways we can do for our beloved without spending too much money. We can even do just the simplest ways to make them smile. A small act can make a huge of a difference.

Here are five ways to brighten your spouse’s day.

Surprise them with flowers

Nothing can definitely go wrong with flowers. This is the probably the most common way to surprise your spouse and make them feel special. Whether there is a special occasion or not, giving your spouse a bouquet of flowers will definitely brighten their day. You can go pick it out yourselves in a flower shop or you can also order online which is definitely more convenient especially when you want to surprise them. You can go to online flower shops like Flowers for Everyone to order and have it sent to your home or you can also address it to your spouse’s office! Bouquet of Flowers For Spouse

Take a share of the chores

Your spouse will greatly appreciate it if you unload their day to day chores. For instance, if your spouse stays at home to do all the chores while you work, take some time off and do the things that he or she usually does. If you can, buy the groceries yourself, walk the dog in the mornings, or do the dishes this time. Small things can make a great difference and will definitely make your spouse’s day better. They will certainly appreciate these small acts of love from you.

Ask them about their day

Everybody goes through some things every single day. After a long, tiring day, your spouse would definitely be happier if you ask him or her about their day. This simple question will make them feel important and show you are interested in what is going on. Little words matter which is the very reason you have to actively listen and communicate with your spouse every day. Make them feel your support and understand them. It’s a simple way to brighten up their day.

Write little notes that express your love for them

Writing love notes is never too old. It’s always an effective way to make your spouse feel your love. You don’t have to do it every day but you can do it once in a while to surprise your partner. Leave some love notes on their briefcase, or their books, or at the bathroom, and make your message special and sweet. Make it heartfelt and they will surely appreciate it.

Compliment them

Whatever they do or accomplish – even small things – every day, always compliment them. It’s an instant way to brighten up their faces. It will make them feel that what they are doing is right. It makes them feel accomplished with their day to day tasks.

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June 29, 2018

Should I Use Egg Donation for In Vitro? Your Questions, Answered!

Anyone who has experienced infertility is familiar with how overwhelming it can be. Besides the emotional rollercoaster, there’s a plethora of information and options to consider. For instance, you may have heard egg donors help couples, particularly older women, realize their dream of carrying and having a baby, but you’re not sure what’s involved. To help you better understand this option, we have answered the most commonly asked questions when it comes to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) using donated eggs.

Why choose donor eggs?

It may come as a surprise that IVF with donor eggs has such a high success rate – up to 55% – and is one of the preferred options for women 35 or older. Using donor eggs is a viable alternative for couples struggling with egg quantity or quality, genetic diseases, or previous IVF failure. The success of donor egg IVF relies on a quality database of donors and highly skilled physicians and technicians. Respected donor egg programs or networks will ensure their donors are in optimal health and age, and screen eggs to ensure only the best are made available for transfer.

Where do I start?

Once you have made the decision to proceed with using donated eggs, you’ll need to find a donor. Some people turn to family or friends, but you can also find reputable programs with an extensive egg donor database and sufficient background information about the donors.

Then, you’ll need to decide whether to use frozen or fresh donor eggs. Using fresh eggs is more complicated, and often costs more than using frozen. Fresh cycles also involve the donor and recipient having to sync their cycles, and in turn, offers little control over exactly when a transfer can occur.

Conversely, when the recipient uses frozen eggs they know exactly how many viable eggs they have beforehand and can plan for the day of transfer.

First, you’ll need to choose your donor. High quality donor egg programs provide information on all of their donors’ biological attributes, life accomplishments, and health. Some couples decide to focus on donors who have similar physical features to them, while other recipients choose to consider other factors.

After your decision, arrangements will be made to deliver your frozen egg lot – a group of five to eight of your donor’s most viable eggs – to your fertility clinic.

What happens after the eggs are delivered?

Your eggs can remain frozen at your fertility clinic until you are ready for transfer. Your fertility specialist can help you better understand the process, and will work with you to ensure you have the best chance of conceiving.

You’ll need to take medication to thicken your uterine lining to give your fertilized eggs (embryos) the best environment possible. Usually, the medication comes in the form of injections, but may also include oral medication. Most couples find that the process doesn’t interfere much in their daily lives and support one another through it. Naturally, you may be concerned about side effects, but most women experience very little or no issues with the medication.

Around 3-5 days before your transfer is scheduled, your eggs will be thawed and fertilized with your partner’s sperm. Fertilized eggs become embryos, which are then monitored for development and to identify the best one(s) for transfer.

What happens during transfer?

Depending on your situation and personal preference, one or two embryos will be selected for transfer. The transfer process is relatively non-invasive. Ultrasound is used with a small catheter-like tube to insert the embryos into the uterus. Most women report experiencing no or little discomfort, rather than pain, during the embryo transfer process. Some describe it as similar to having a pap smear.

What happens after transfer?

The following weeks are often the most frustrating as you wait for nature to take its course. It’s important to stay as calm as possible during this time. Your fertility clinic will ask you to come back around two weeks after your transfer for a blood test to measure your human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels. HcG is known as the pregnancy hormone and isn’t typically detectable until a couple of weeks after conception. Hopefully, you’ll receive positive news and your pregnancy proceeds like any other. In any case, your fertility clinic will be there to support you and determine your next steps.

June 29, 2018

Live A Limitless Life on a Limited Budget

No matter how much money we have, there is always that little extra we need for paying down a debt installment or for buying a new car or financing tuition fee for our children.

But, in order for us to be able to cover all the extra expenses that might arise on an everyday basis, we don’t always need a new job – sometimes we need to learn how to manage the funds we already have.

Sometimes, following simple habits and slightly changing our consumerist mindset is all that we need. We need to learn how to allocate money that we have more efficiently and need to familiarize ourselves with the most common pitfalls of money management.

Whether you’re buying new clothes for your teenage kids or you’re taking them out for a dinner, you should always be able to find ways on how to save a buck or two.

Sticking with pre-made lists of what’s needed to buy and what’s not as well as allocating certain amount of your budget to your children as a clothing allowance would be a good start.

In this article, we will bring to your attention some of the neatest budgeting tricks that will get your family budget growing in no time.

Fix the Budget Leaks

Every budget has its leakage. Overspending on certain types of things is common for families, especially if you’re earning more than you actually need to get by.

However, all those little expenses account for a big sum when you add them all up. If you put pen to paper and write down all there is, you will be surprised by the amount of money you are throwing away just not paying attention every day.

If you’re planning a vacation with your family, keep in mind that you should take all options into consideration Think about the ways to save money by booking in early season so you won’t have to pay double during the high holiday season. That way you can still find good accommodation, and stay on top of your budget! If you are a mountain lover, with Lantern Thredbo Apartments you can choose from a variety of premium accommodation options in both the Thredbo Alpine Village and the Snowy Mountains. You just have to search for options and your vacation doesn’t need to cost a fortune!

Prioritizing your buying and making lists can always help in this situation. We already mentioned the necessity of organizing your spendings by making lists prior you actually go shopping. For instance, paying visit to the supermarket or a grocery store can eat up contents of your wallet if you are prone to impulsive shopping.

Do you really need everything you buy every time you go to the supermarket? Certainly not!

Restraining from being impulsive when it comes to shopping or booking and sticking to pre-made lists of the things you really need is of utmost importance here.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that you can’t treat yourself with something nice from time to time, just make sure not to make a regular habit out of it.

Digging Even Deeper Into Family Expenses

Furthermore, go through your monthly expenses in search of some more pain points that are devastating your budget. You’ll probably find out that you’re paying for some services you are not even using anymore.

For instance, do you really need to pay for your Netflix if you don’t have time for yourself and you don’t practice movie nights with your family anymore? How many services you subscribed for on a monthly basis that are charging you on a recurrent basis? Make sure to go through all of them and to cancel all of those unnecessary subscriptions. Try to find budgeting options and make sure you keep an eye on those finances!

Perhaps you’ve come to that point when you should start cleaning out your closet for good. And we mean in real terms. What’s the use of keeping stuff around the house if you don’t intend to use them anymore?

Consider organizing a garage sale on weekends or listing your stuff for sale online. You’ll get some money out of it, plus you’ll definitely free up some living space for you and your family.

Last but not the least, if you owe some money to the bank (and lots of us are) you should seriously think of consolidating or even refinancing a loan.

There are many things you can do when it comes to this matter and, luckily enough, there are lots of articles online that can help you out with money management.

June 28, 2018October 17, 2020

Do I Want to Become a Landlord?

Have you ever considered becoming a landlord? Being a landlord has its pros and cons, and it can be difficult to choose between the two. Do you want to take the risk that an initial investment requires to reap the financial reward of a good investment? Becoming a landlord is a gamble, and only you can decide if it’s right for you. Consider the following pros and cons.

Cons: Initial Investment Cost

It isn’t cheap to become a landlord. To rent a property, you must own it. Buying a building takes cash, or a fierce certainty in your business venture. With luck and careful planning, most rental properties pay for themselves over time, since each unit brings in a monthly fee. However, the initial purchase can be a hefty debt to handle.

Cons: Light Income

Between mortgage payments and unexpected costs, you won’t make much income on your rental property. Much of your revenue goes towards mortgage payments, and some must go toward repairs, advertisements, and the salaries of any employees you hire. Once you’ve paid off a building, you’ll make a better profit; in the meantime, your property won’t make as much money as you hoped.

Cons: Emergency Repairs

When you run a rental property, you must be ready for unexpected repairs. When a dishwasher breaks down or the furnace stops working, you’re responsible for fixing them. Besides the cost of these repairs, many landlords find the 24/7 on-call aspects of the job discouraging.

Pros: Job Flexibility

Despite the cons of becoming a landlord, there are many pros, as well. When you work as a landlord, you can set your own schedule. Depending on how many properties you manage, you might work full time or part time, and you can limit your office hours to a certain time each week.

Pros: Rental Income

While your income may be uncertain a few months out of the year due to empty units, a rental property still brings income. Your income per property won’t be extensive, but if you make the most of what you have, you can live, make a profit, and invest in your future, with the same building. Rent covers the mortgage in most instances, and as long as you take advantage of a free tenant screening, you can fill your buildings with tenants who pay on time.

Pros: Property Value

Once you’ve paid off a building, you own a property that’s all yours. You might not have made an enormous income thus far, but you can now sell a well-maintained building for a profit, in a favorable housing market. This kind of property value juggling can be a great way to make huge bursts of income. Patience is key with this kind of risk, but it pays off for the careful investor.