Great Vacation in Jersey

My family always went to beaches for vacations, but my parents always chose beaches in the Gulf of Mexico. Two years ago I started thinking of taking a family beach vacation to the Jersey shore, specifically to historic Cape May. I knew it would be different from what I was used to, but I loved it! A few things the Jersey shore offers that I had never experienced elsewhere - lighthouses (awesome!), boardwalks (the place to see and be seen) and dunes (great for exploring). A friend had recommended the Cape May area for its historic value, and if you are in to historic buildings, bed & breakfasts or gorgeous architecture, Cape May is definitely your place! It was beautiful. Not only amazing stretches of sand and ocean, but a day inland is rewarded with beautiful old homes, meticulously maintained and finely manicured lawns and landscaping.

New Jersey amusement parks

As is out tradition on beach vacation, wee had to find a waterpark. We went to a great place called Morey's Piers. It had EVERYTHING!! Not only were ther 2 waterparks, but also an amusement park with a ton of rides. We spent most of our day at the Raging Waters themed waterpark because my son loved the pirate ship play area. The waterpark was safe and clean and easy to recommend. I also found Morey's to be very affordable, a far cry from the larger amusement parks. We loved the laid-back atmosphere and the short ride lines. Never once did we feel crowded. Morey's Piers is a great place for a New Jersey vacation. If you think you may be interested, be sure to check out www.moreyspiers.com/magicalmondays.html for some additional savings!

Glasses under $20? No, really!!

I am never happy with my glasses but usually pay so much that I am stuck with them until next year. But I found a great site, www.ZenniOptical.com, that offers whatever you may need in the way of glasses, starting an $8. I am not joking - frames with single vision lenses start at just $8 with several options and extras under $20. This means you don't have to be in love and totally committed to your glasses for a whole year! Nor do you have to pay $300 for those glasses that are really just okay. They care frames for men, women, children as well as rimless frames and goggles. The frames are very stylish and in keeping with all the latest trends. Lens options include single vision, bifocal and progressive lenses. Some upgrades available are photochromic (gets darker in brighter situations), anti-reflective coating(great if you sit at a computer all day) and 7 different color coat options. Always FREE are anti-scratch and UV coating! I spent easily 45 minutes looking at the different frame styles and recognized many to be identical to over-priced designer models. There is also a great little general information section that helps you through making sure you get the right fit for your glasses. So if your current glasses are scratched up or keep sliding down your nose and are about to drive you nuts, remember $ 8 Zenni Optical Rx Eyeglasses - you will be thrilled at the savings you will find!

The Bandit Show

The Bandit Show is a Swinger radio show ran by a local(Cincinnati-area) couple, Scorpion and Ms. Kitty. The show runs weekly on Mondays, from 7pm to 9pm. Their show discusses the ins and outs of the Swinging lifestyle, rules, etiquette, discusses the different tri-state swing clubs, etc. I never paid much attention until I met Scorpion and Ms. Kitty at a swing club in Dayton and found them to be a very cool and fun couple to hang with. They also have a great website that give some great Swinging facts and tips: http://www.thebanditshow.com/. You'll find a lot of info, some links, bios and an event calendar.

Hording During Emergencies

Ok, for real, we had an episode of hurricane force winds in the Greater Cincinnati area and it left a lot of people without power. I understand that there is a certain amount of panic involved and I can accept that to a certain extent. But a lot of people just go way too far. Why do people think they need to buy every single pack of size D batteries? Didn't you count how many you would actually need? Why not get what you need and leave some for the next guy? Wal-Mart is still going to be here tomorrow - if all your flashlights die at the same time, you can come back. Or did you really need to buy 6 cases of bottled water? I mean, 1 case is more than your drink in a week and we're only looking at 5 days max of power being out. Please people, get a grip!! Now, I do understand things get magnified when people are in groups - human group behavior is basic animal behavior. So when the guy next to you is buying up batteries or water or toilet paper or whatever, it is obviously something YOU need also. So you horde. And for the next 2 years you have a fine stockpile of whatever it was you couldn't live without for that moment in time. All I'm saying is try to keep your head about these things. We're blessed to live in a place where there is plenty of everything. You don't need all of it.

Consolidate Your Debt - The Best Way!

In the current economic environment, it has becaqome a priority to have household cash flow under control. For many of us, that may mean consolidating some or all of our debts. There are, of course, many options to consolidate debt, from loans to credit counseling, from debt settlement to mortgage refinancing. There are so many choices and so many differences, it can all be a little overwhelming.

I went to Bills.com and found they have a whole section on debt help consolidate debt. There are clear and concise explanations as to each option you may have to take control of your debt in their Debt Consolidation Glossary. Not every option will fit your situation, so it is important to know the different choices. There is an easy free quote process to help you decide what option might be best for you and your situation. It takes into account your credit status (because maybe your credit is still under control and you want to keep it that way) and whether you own a home or rent.

My favorite option is Credit Counseling. Having a reputable company work on your behalf to lower interest rates and fees plus getting set up on a monthly plan suits my household the best. By knowing exactly what I pay for my debt each month, I am better able to plan for the necessities of gas and groceries. With gas prices soaring, not worrying about additional fees is a huge plus.

Hurricane in Ohio?

I'm serious, there actually kind of was a hurricane here in Ohio. And Kentucky. And Indiana. It seems Hurricane Ike just couldn't let go after wreaking havoc on the Gulf states. Of course, when it had moved inland 100 miles from the gulf and was still rating as a tropical storm, that should have been a big red flag. Anyway, without any warning from the local newspersons, the Cincinnati area got slammed with 90-100 mph winds. Dare I say, the Midwest was not prepared. At first it was neat, stuff flying around everywhere. But then it just kept going on, hour after hour. When shingles and siding from peoples' homes started flying around, it ceased to be funny. And then the power went out. As of Sunday evening, Duke Energy reported 90% the Greater Cincinnati area was without power. Besides homes, traffic and streetlights, stores and restaurants, hospitals and emergency response teams were all without power. People descended on the stores, hording batteries and bottled water and any non-perishable foodstuffs. Gas stations with power boasted lines out into the roads or signs stating they were out of gas. Today is Wednesday and I am happy to say that the the hospitals and emergency responders are back online, as well as any homes on those grids. However, several are still without power. My parents, for example, are at my house, showering and doing laundry. Many schools are still not in session, dealing not only with heating/cooling issues, but also spoiled food issues. Obviously, what we got was just a small piece of what the people in the Gulf states deal with yearly, but it was more than enough for me. I can empathize, to a degree, with people who weather hurricanes each year and can't help but to wonder why they go back each time.