Challenge Yourself for 24 Hours!

What if it took just 24 hours to make a new addition to your health routine? These small changes bring big, healthy rewards.

Bike to Work Tomorrow
Why wait for Bike to Work Day to jump on a fun, self-powered mode of transportation? Instead, do it tomorrow! You'll fit some exercise into your work week. Challenge yourself today by preparing for tomorrow's ride. Here are some tips:

Download a trusty bike map.
Get your bike tuned at the local bike shop.
Fill your tires with air.
Make sure your lock and key work if you need to keep your bike outside.
If you prefer to change out of your ride clothes, pack a change in a backpack or messenger bag.

Seek Out Resistant Starches

Resistant starch, a lesser-known fiber with some of the benefits of soluble and insoluble fiber, is poised to burst onto the nutrition scene with something like a 21-carb salute. Like other fibers, resistant starches defy digestion until they reach the large intestine, possibly contributing to colon health, satiety, management of bodily sugar levels and the presence of good bacteria. They are found in such carbohydrate-rich foods as potatoes, whole grains and beans. Today, challenge yourself to eat something that contains this nutrient.

Try New Phytonutrients
Many Americans get their beneficial phytonutrient intake from just a few fruits and vegetables. Although some is definitely better than none when it comes to these health-promoting plant compounds, variety is also good. Today, challenge yourself to go for more densely nutritious substitutes. Some examples:
Raspberries instead of strawberries
Kale instead of spinach
Sweet potatoes instead of carrots
Papaya instead of oranges
Watercress instead of mustard

Challenge Your Brain

Research suggests that your brain benefits from intellectual tasks, just like your body benefits from physical exercise. Today, get your mind going by doing something stimulating. Try a crossword puzzle, play some cards, read a book, attend a lecture—anything that gets your mind active and that you might enjoy doing regularly.

Look Carefully at "Low-Fat" Foods
Does "low-fat" automatically mean "good for you"? In a word, no. Low-fat foods can still pack plenty of calories and/or sugar, since the label only means that the food in question is 30 percent lower in fat than the standard product. This is particularly concerning if the original is very high in fat and calories. Furthermore, sugar levels are not considered in applying the low-fat label, so if you're trying to reduce your consumption of ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, you'll want to give your packaged food labels a thorough read, even if they do say "low-fat." Today, challenge yourself to make smarter choices when it comes to low-fat packaged foods, and read those food labels carefully.

Grab the Green
Yeah, we know you already know the nutritional value of a nice bunch of fresh, leafy greens. But when was the last time you added a new green to your repertoire or prepared familiar ones in a fresh way? Today, challenge yourself to whip up a festival of green flavors, using some of these tips:

Sauté seasonal greens with garlic and pine nuts
Blend exotic summertime greens like mizuna or arugula into salad
Be sure to stock frozen spinach for sprinkling on pizzas, stuffing in omelets or dressing up white-bean soups
Chop swiss chard and sprinkle over homemade Greek tzatziki

Think "Just One More"
From push-ups and crunches to jogging and squats, you can challenge yourself by adopting a "just one more" approach. Today, challenge yourself to do "just one more" of whatever exercise you're doing, whether it's a pull-up, a mile run or a three-minute fast-walking interval.

Capture the Krill
There's a new player in the omega-3 fatty acid market: krill oil. Antarctic krill are small crustaceans whose oil contains substances that reduce LDL cholesterol and might offer other healing properties. Today, challenge yourself to find out more about this promising, shrimp-like creature and its nutritional properties.

Cookie Concerns? Just Bake It
Fragrant, chewy and totally comforting—nothing says "welcome home" like a homemade chocolate chip cookie. If you've got the yen for one and want to indulge without lowering your natural standards, challenge yourself to follow these tips for an all-natural treat.

Cut back slightly on sugar amounts (up to a 1/3 less doesn't affect texture much), and use the least-processed sugar or alternate natural sweetener. (Agave, stevia, honey, maple or rice syrup, date sugar and dried cane juice are options, but read up first on how they impact baking results.)

Stick to whole-wheat flour instead of refined flours. (Some cookies, like backpacker and chocolate chip, are more forgiving with grainier flours than others.)

Exercise Your Right to Take It Easy
Taking it easier, both mentally and physically, can have surprising health benefits. The urge to go longer, stronger and harder is built into modern Western culture, but it can work against the natural cycles of our bodies. Relaxing can lower blood pressure, increase blood flow to muscles, improve concentration and boost confidence, all health helpers that not only improve the way we feel, but also allow us to better enjoy the activities we do choose to pursue. Also, as you get older, make sure your self-care and exercise regimens are still age-appropriate. Today, challenge yourself to examine your lifestyle generally, with an eye to setting aside time for stress reduction and relaxing your approach to strenuous pursuits.

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6 mistakes men make on Valentine's Day!

Memo to men: Valentine’s Day is on February 14. In years past, Yahoo.com has noticed a spike in men searching for an answer to the question: “When is Valentine's Day?” as the day fast approaches. Of all the holidays on the yearly calendar, the one designated for romance never fails to trip guys up. Blame mixed messages: While retailers consider the holiday worthy of diamonds, many women take the stance that it's no big deal.

Don’t fall for any of it. Valentines Day is when a guy’s affection, compatibility, and commitment are put to the test. Forgetting the day is just the first mistake to avoid. There are six other common mistakes men make on February 14. Here's a cheat sheet.

Mistake #1: Getting words of wisdom from your local drug store.There's a time and a place for Hallmark poetry and it's never on Valentine's Day. No matter how cursive, heartfelt, and close-to-home the text, you still didn't write it.
Why it’s bad: Women want to feel special. Giving a card that’s designed to cater to millions of women on Valentine’s Day sends the message that your love is a lot like everyone else's. It also suggests you bought some Rite Guard in the next aisle while you were at it. Nobody wants to feel like one of two birds.
The fix: Cliché as it seems, the thought really does count. More than 75 percent of women claim to want nothing more than a heart-felt love letter on February 14. Relationship psychologist Dr. Terri Orbuch also suggests a personal note trumps even chocolate. "Which says 'I love you' more: a box of candy or a handwritten note telling your partner you'd still choose him/her if you had to do it all over again?" asks Orbuch. "Show your partner why he/she matters so much to you."  

Mistake #2: Letting a bear do your bidding.Stuffed animal tricks are for kids. Giving your special lady a teddy bear holding a balloon with a pun like "I Yearn Fur You" is sweet if you're both in junior high. But in a poll by ShopRunner, a women's shopping site, members claimed teddy bears were the worst gift they had ever received on February 14. Flowers and chocolates (standard accompaniments to the stuffed animal) aren't going to win her over either.
Why it's bad: A stuffed animal not only suggests you don't take your partner seriously, it's also generic. Flowers, candy, and anything that's stamped "buy this for Valentine's Day" suggests limited thought went into the gift.
The fix:  Don't run to your nearest jeweler. It's not about the money—besides, a dozen roses and a build-a-bear don't come cheap. "In fact, depending on where a couple is in their relationship, extravagant gifts like expensive lingerie or fancy chocolates can seem overwhelming," author and etiquette expert Leah Ingram tells Bankrate.com. "If you've just started dating, a big gift can imply more depth to the relationship than is really there. It can also be awkward if the guy splurges on a big Valentine's gift, but the woman doesn't do the same." Instead, find a simple gift that shows you've been listening to your lady, like a DVD of her favorite series, or a book by an author she's mentioned. Dr. Orbuch has a more direct approach: "Think of something your partner really needs," she says. "Get the car detailed. Replace her tattered briefcase. It may not sound romantic, but thoughtfulness is a turn-on and shows you really care about your partner."

Mistake #3: Declaring Valentine’s Day a ploy for consumersNo matter how you rationalize it, the holiday is not going away. Even if your partner trumps your own disdain for the day, the risk of going along with her is too great.
Why it’s bad: It feels like an excuse. Despite all the arguments against the day, it comes down to celebrating your relationship. “In the larger picture, cultural rituals like Valentine’s Day structure opportunities to do good things that we could do any day, but usually do not,” writes social scientist Bill  Doherty in Psychology Today. “The year I took my wife to Subway on February 14 was the low point. Eventually I realized that the cost of minimizing Valentine’s Day—the disappointment and the missed opportunity to connect—is greater than the benefits of maintaining my freedom to be spontaneously romantic on my own timetable.”
The fix: If if really pains you to observe the date, celebrate your valentine the day before. You can also keep it low-key. Dinner is optional. The most important thing is to set aside time to talk about things that aren't "important." "Have a 10-minute conversation with your partner about anything besides kids, work, money, or domestic responsibilities," says Orbuch. "I found that the '10 Minute Rule,' practiced daily, increases intimacy, bonding, and happiness." Take a drive or rent the movie you watched on your first date: external triggers that don't cause stress can help take you back to the way you were before your everyday lives trumped romance.

Mistake #4: Sharing the day with your BlackBerry One in five guys will text their loving message on Valentine’s Day and one in ten will take to email. That doesn't even factor Facebook and Twitter professions of love. As sweet as 140 characters can be, old-school letters are more romantic. One survey found the obvious: women would be disappointed by an electronic gesture of affection.
Why it’s bad: In terms of effort, it’s minimal. It also brings a third party into your affair: your P.D.A. (your Personal Digital Assistant, not public displays of affection). It should be a given to turn it off during your candlelit dinner, but using it to profess love is detached.
The fix: Buy a blank card or take a photo of the two of you and write a message on the back. It doesn't have to be long, it can even be a quote from your favorite song. But in this technological world, handwriting holds a certain intimacy. If words just aren't your thing, make a mix CD and write out the songs in pen. Your music choices will do the talking.

Mistake #5: Expecting her to make the plansIn the United States, 64 percent of men do not make V-day plans in advance. That can be a problem when at least 30 percent of women expect guys to map out the entire evening, according to Women's Health. Who's right? Who cares. To avoid conflict, just make a plan.
Why it’s bad: Making plans is a sign of commitment, even if they're not exactly what your partner had in mind. The task of putting forethought into your time together suggests you see a future together. It may sound like a leap, but on Valentine's Day, it's nothing to take lightly.
The fix: Even if you’re strapped for cash or shut out from overbooked restaurants on what might be the busiest day for reservations, there's still hope. Preparing a meal she’ll love or simply plating a prepared meal on a candle-lit table will do the job. Providing dessert and a little wine will suggest you’ve really put thought into the night, even if you just went to the supermarket.

Mistake #6: Under-dressingDon't wear jeans. No matter how well they fit, denims are not invited to your romantic evening for two.
Why it's bad: It suggests the day isn't as important to you as it it may be to her. Plus, getting a little dressed up adds an element of excitement that breaks the casual routine you may share on a standard date night. And excitement boosts oxytocin, the bonding hormone released during new, exciting activities that brings couples together.
The fix: Whether you're staying in or partying like a rock star, let Daniel Craig, aka James Bond, be your style muse, says men's fashion site Dappered. For a night in, try casual khakis and a crisp white shirt, like Craig wore during a scene in an Italian villa in "Quantum of Solace." For a red carpet look, try a skinny tie, or a slim-lined gray suit, like Craig has donned at premieres.

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Blueberry imposters: Fake blueberries may be in your packaged foods!!

Blueberries have long been touted as a superfood, high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and manganese. And unlike other superfoods like acai berries, bee pollen, and wakame seaweed, blueberries are accessible and attractive, so they're an easy sell to anyone skeptical of health food.

So this reputation could be why blueberries are in so many packaged foods, from muffin mixes to salad dressings. They appear to add nutrition and deliciousness that might otherwise be lacking. Nevermind that actual, fresh blueberries are only in season about 2 to 3 months out of the year -- the blueberry harvest goes on all year at the grocery store.

But have you actually read the labels on those supposedly blueberry-filled products?

Some of them, like Target Blueberry Bagels and General Mills Total Pomegranate Blueberry Cereal, might be fooling consumers into thinking the food has something it doesn't. While manufacturers state they're still within the U.S.'s admittedly loose labeling laws, many of those blueberry-promoting products are made without genuine blueberries.

The Consumer Wellness Center recently produced a Food Investigations video that looked at the actual blueberry content of several widely available packaged foods. This expose shows how Kellogs, General Mills, Betty Crocker, and other brands advertise plump, whole blueberries in their cereals and mixes, but deliever dextrose, corn flour, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, sugar, citric acid, artificial flavor, and food colorings Blue #1 and Red #40 instead.

As the video states, “When consumers buy blueberry cereals, muffins, and mixes, they’re under the impression that they’re buying real blueberries. No ordinary consumer realizes they’re actually buying blue coloring chemicals mixed with hydrogenated oils and liquid sugars. That’s why this common industry practice of faking the blueberries is so deceptive.”

Not every company is to blame. The Food Investigations video found that Nature's Path Organic Optimum Blueberry-Cinnamon Breakfast Cereal contains actual blueberries (organic, even). Likewise, Health Valley Low-Fat Blueberry Tarts are filled with real blueberries. But these honest brands appear to be few and far between.

So what is a wary consumer to do? Turn over the box and read that label! Look for ingredients that are either too complex to understand or that are decidedly not blueberries. And when fresh berries are in season, buy some real blueberries and add them to cereal or homemade muffins for the best, healthiest taste of all.

Watch The Video!

Group protests over video removed from Smithsonian!

An art group is protesting outside the Smithsonian Institution over the removal of a gay artist's video that depicted ants crawling on a crucifix.

The scene in the video drew complaints from the Catholic League as well as incoming Republican leaders in Congress who said the Smithsonian was misusing its public funding, though its exhibits are privately funded.

Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough said he decided to remove the video to head off controversy. Clough has said the exhibit is the first to explore gay themes in art history.

About 30 people, many from the New York-based group Art Positive, picketed Monday and called for Clough to step down.

The video, "A Fire in My Belly," explored the subject of AIDS.

WOWWWWWWWW!!!

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Fla. judge strikes down Obama health care overhaul!

A federal judge declared the Obama administration's health care overhaul unconstitutional Monday, siding with 26 states that sued to block it, saying that people can't be required to buy health insurance.

U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson agreed with the states that the new law violates people's rights by forcing them to buy health insurance by 2014 or face penalties. He went a step further than a previous ruling against the law, declaring the entire thing unconstitutional if the insurance requirement does not hold up.

Attorneys for the administration had argued that the states did not have standing to challenge the law and that the case should be dismissed.

The final step will almost certainly be the U.S. Supreme Court. Two other federal judges have already upheld the law and a federal judge in Virginia ruled the insurance mandate unconstitutional but stopped short of voiding the entire thing.

At issue was whether the government is reaching beyond its constitutional power to regulate interstate commerce by requiring citizens to purchase health insurance or face tax penalties.

Vinson said it is, writing in his 78-page ruling that if the government can require people to buy health insurance, it could also regulate food the same way.

"Or, as discussed during oral argument, Congress could require that people buy and consume broccoli at regular intervals," he wrote, "Not only because the required purchases will positively impact interstate commerce, but also because people who eat healthier tend to be healthier, and are thus more productive and put less of a strain on the health care system."

Obama administration attorneys had argued that the health care system was part of the interstate commerce system. They said the government can levy a tax penalty on Americans who decide not to purchase health insurance because all Americans are consumers of medical care.

But attorneys for the states said the administration was essentially coercing the states into participating in the overhaul by holding billions of Medicaid dollars hostage. The states also said the federal government is violating the Constitution by forcing a mandate on the states without providing money to pay for it.

Florida's former Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum filed the lawsuit just minutes after President Barack Obama signed the 10-year, $938 billion health care bill into law in March. He chose a court in Pensacola, one of Florida's most conservative cities. The nation's most influential small business lobby, the National Federation of Independent Business, also joined.

Officials in the states that sued lauded Vinson's decision. Almost all of them have Republican governors, attorneys general or both.

"In making his ruling, the judge has confirmed what many of us knew from the start; ObamaCare is an unprecedented and unconstitutional infringement on the liberty of the American people," Florida GOP Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement.

Other states that joined the suit are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

*Don't these states have better things to do than to fight a mandated healthcare law? You would think they would be on the grind creating jobs for the people who reside those states. That isn't the case. It's all about fighting President Obama and his healthcare law. WHAT A POLITICAL HOT MESS!*

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Gov't advising Americans to cut down on salt!

The government is telling half of the U.S. population to drastically cut their daily salt intake.

That's the advice to consumers — and the food industry — as the government issues new dietary guidelines, which are the recommendations behind the popular food pyramid.

For the first time, the Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments, which issue the guidelines every five years, are telling people who are 51 and older, all African-Americans and anyone suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease to cut the amount of sodium they eat daily to little more than half a teaspoon.

That group includes about half of the population and those who are most at risk of having higher blood pressure due to the amount of salt they eat. For everyone else, the government continues to recommend about a teaspoon a day — 2,300 milligrams, or about one-third less than the average person usually consumes.

The assault on salt is aimed strongly at the food industry, which is responsible for the majority of sodium most people consume. Most salt consumption doesn't come from the shaker on the table; it's hidden in foods such as breads, chicken and pasta.

It has long been known that too much sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and other problems. But cutting the salt won't be easy.

The prestigious Institute of Medicine has said it could take years for consumers to get used to the taste of a lower-salt diet. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the government is trying to be realistic while targeting the highest-risk groups.

"I think it's important for us to do this in a way that doesn't create an immediate backlash," he said. "If we fail to get our arms around the obesity epidemic, especially in our children, we're going to see a significant increase in health care costs over time."

A number of major food makers have announced plans during the past few years to cut sodium in their products as pressure from health advocates, consumers and regulators has built.

Kraft Foods Inc., ConAgra Foods Inc., General Mills Inc., Heinz Co., Campbell Soup Co. and Bumble Bee Foods Inc. are just some of the companies that have committed to lowering sodium levels. But it's often a multiyear process to dial down the sodium, largely so consumers do not detect the changes in taste.

Campbell's said Monday that it now sells over 200 lower sodium products, which they say is eight times the number of reduced sodium foods they offered five years ago.

But it's unclear if the industry will be able to cut enough to satisfy the new guidelines. The Food and Drug Administration has said it will pressure companies to take voluntary action before it moves to regulate salt intake.

Dr. Howard Koh, assistant secretary at the Health and Human Services Department, said food companies will have to make cuts for the reductions to work.

"Even the most motivated consumer can make only a certain amount of progress before it's clear that we need extra support from the food industry," Koh said.

Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, says the heightened interest in the dangers of too much sodium could help somewhat. But she believes the FDA will have to take action for the companies to reduce enough salt to matter.

"The companies are only going to do it if there's a really strong push," she said.

New York City has already pushed a little, launching a campaign with the goal of cutting salt consumption by at least 20 percent in five years. That's modeled on a plan carried out in Britain which set voluntary salt reduction targets for 85 categories of processed foods.

Consumers still have some control. To reduce the risk of disease from high sodium intake, the guidelines say people should:

_Read nutrition labels closely and buy items labeled low in sodium.
_Use little or no salt when cooking or eating.
_Consume more fresh or home-prepared foods and fewer processed foods, so they know exactly what they are eating.
_Ask that salt not be added to foods at restaurants.
_Gradually reduce sodium intake over time to get used to the taste.

Other recommendations in the guidelines are similar to previous years — limit trans fats, reduce calorie intake from solid fats and added sugars, eat fewer refined grains and more whole grains, consume less than 300 mg per day of cholesterol. The guidelines also recommend eating less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats — full-fat cheese and fatty meats, for example.
 
The government promotes these guidelines to consumers by using a symbolic pyramid. Introduced more than five years ago, it doesn't specify recommended amounts of foods but directs people to a USDA website that details the guidelines. That replaced an old pyramid that specified what to eat after surveys showed that few people followed it.
 
USDA food pyramid: www.mypyramid.gov

Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion: www.cnpp.usda.gov


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8 Friends Who Drain Your Wallet!

Are your friends bad for our wallet?
We all know them: the bridezilla who forces her bridesmaids to pay $500 for their gowns, the hapless friend who "loses" his wallet whenever the dinner check comes around and the spouse whose shopping addiction is threatening your mortgage, not to mention your marriage. In the world of money, these well-meaning friends do more harm to your wallet than good, and it goes without saying they can damage your self-respect, too.

We decided to round up these common culprits by asking a few readers to share their tales of wallet woe. The stories weren't pretty, but thanks to our arsenal of personal finance experts who lent a sympathetic ear and their sage advice, these readers should never feel peer-pressured to overspend again and, more importantly, neither will you.

The Charlie Brown
Better known as the guilt tripper, Charlie Brown is the money-toxic friend who's perpetually plagued by finance issues and makes you feel crummy for spending on things you enjoy. Here, we present Exhibit A:

Linus: "Hey, Charlie! Want to try Burger King's new stuffed steakhouse burger? I heard it's great!"

Charlie: "Aw shucks, Linus, I can't afford it. I only have 35 cents to my name and that burger costs at least $4."

"Whether you're splurging or saved up, if somebody is expressing a sort of pressure to you for you to either say, 'Oh my treat,' just say, 'What do you want to do?'" suggests Julia Scott, a journalist and founder of BargainBabe.com. "Say hey, 'I'd love to see you, let's get together,'" she says. But "if somebody is the worrywart about money, put the ball in their court so they can choose a low cost activity that takes the pressure off." Or suggest something free to do instead.

The Bridezilla
Who doesn't love poking fun at bridezillas? They're catty, self-absorbed and love to splurge on their big day—that is, until you feel pressured to spend along with them. Before you know it, you're shelling out $400 for a gown you'll only wear once, a four-night booze fest in Vegas and not one, but two, bridal showers. Toxic!

Carl Richards, the brains behind those clever New York Times napkin sketches that explore consumers' relationship with money, says the key to handling these brazen brides-to-be is to discuss these costs upfront. "It's just really important to have boundaries," Richards says. "Talking about it early and often can help. The last place you want to be having any discussion is at the cash register when all the preparations have been made and there's no time to think about or explain the consequences."

Scott agrees: "Declining to participate [in the wedding] is a great way to get out of money constraints," she says, "especially if it's someone who isn't close with you." But if the relationship means more and skipping the nuptials will put it on ice, Scott says not to do it. "Think of spending the money as an investment in the relationship instead."

'The Secret' Spendthrift
The law of attraction might bring great abundance and joy into your life, but it certainly won't pad your wallet—just ask the real estate agent Richards knew who once leased a Bentley to upgrade his image. "He wrote affirmations that he was going to make a million dollars next year selling real estate," Richards recalls, "but pretty soon he realized that the universe doesn't write a check and he got into major debt."

"Secret" Spendthrifts are especially tricky to deal with because they "care more about image more than reality," Richard says, and the "danger" for anyone associating with them is that it looks fun to have fancy things rather than create realistic financial goals to earn those coveted items. Pretty soon you can be living beyond your means as you try to keep up with your friend, or even worse, buy into his sham of a budget strategy. "Putting too much faith in creating an image of success" can be misleading to everyone involved, warns Richards. "You have to remember that hope is not a budgeting strategy."

The Perpetual Winner
This money-toxic friend never seems to lose, or at least that's what she wants you to think. "My dentist will not stop talking to me—with his hands in my mouth—about all the great investments he's made. He bought Google at this time, sold this stock at the right time, etc., etc., etc." Richards says. "That can be just as toxic because you walk away from those interactions thinking, 'God what a loser I am! How come I'm not leveraging to invest in foreign currencies?'"

Besides inciting serious wallet-envy, these friends mask a real insecurity. "The fact is that the tax returns don't lie," says Richards. "There's usually another side to the story that nobody talks about."
To shirk their bravado and feel like a winner yourself, "imagine these people as a tax return or a balance sheet," says Richards. "When they start bragging, just think, 'That's great, but if I saw their tax return, it might tell a different story.' You just have to remember that chances are that if it sounds too good to be true, chances are that it is."

The Mooch
When she was in her 20s, pharmacist Nath Jones didn't mind buying her friends a drink or two. But once they started charging "$200 bar tabs for two and three $15 martinis" on her credit cards, she tells MainStreet, "I lost about 15 really good friends as I changed my attitude about generosity. My rule went from 'good times and generosity' to 'Would this person spend this much on me?' Usually the answer was no."

The next time the Mooch in your life comes around asking for a handout, just say no. "It's insanity!" Richards exclaims. He suggests telling your friend he made a mistake by enabling the behavior. "If that's bothering you, stop going shopping with the guy."

If you're dealing with the Dinnertime Mooch, a popular variant of the usual Mooch, here are other ways to dodge his behavior:

- Research and plan what you'll eat ahead of time, then only bring enough cash for your order.

- Do not, we repeat, do not flash the plastic.

- If you're reluctant to dine with this friend—or even meet the friend, period—get busy. Schedule an appointment to be somewhere, says Richards. "There's a difference between lying and concealing information. Some things are better off unsaid."

Mr. Big Stuff
An ancestor of the Perpetual Winner, Mr. (or Ms.) Big Stuff puts a price tag on friendship and feels compelled to one-up everyone. In the end, it's all talk, talk, talk, but the negativity clouds your mind—and makes you spend just to keep up with him.

Presentation specialist Constance Dunn has "a close friend who is a classic," she says. "She's a moneyed gal who must quench her every whim, and have the best seats or suits in the house or the night's a bust." Thankfully, Dunn "changed this dynamic via two actions: Giving back by doing no- to low-cost things that she finds invaluable, such as helping her with her pets or mail and having a straight conversation about our budget differences," Dunn says, "and taking her to elegant places that are also affordable for me."

Another way to address the issue, says Scott, is to "talk about things that aren't money." If the conversation still doesn't change and you decide to bring up the issue, do it discreetly. "Never chide a friend in front of others," Scott says. "Do it when it's between the two of you and let them know it makes you uncomfortable." Just don't ask them to change, she warns. "Letting them know it makes you feel uncomfortable is enough. If they know that, they might be more careful about you."

The Shopaholic Spouse
Michael Duncan, managing director of United Capital New York, sees his fair share of shopping addicted spouses, including twice-wedded/Secret Spendthrift wives who "didn't define what their second relationship would mean to them before they got married" and plunged themselves into bankruptcy while hoping their second husband would pay off the debt.

The fact is "money conversations are very difficult for spouses," Duncan says, "and usually the lack of them stems from insecurity of some sort, although sometimes there's no basis for the insecurity at all."

Michael Duncan, managing director of United Capital New York, sees his fair share of shopping addicted spouses, including twice-wedded/Secret Spendthrift wives who "didn't define what their second relationship would mean to them before they got married" and plunged themselves into bankruptcy while hoping their second husband would pay off the debt.
The fact is "money conversations are very difficult for spouses," Duncan says, "and usually the lack of them stems from insecurity of some sort, although sometimes there's no basis for the insecurity at all."

The Macroeconomic Moron
Ramit Sethi, author of I Will Teach You to Be Rich, hates this money-toxic friend the most. "Every day this guy is angry about the government, shaking his fists and saying 'Obama did this, look at Wall Street that,'" he says. "Then you ask them, 'Have you read even one book about personal finance?' No. 'Have you contributed to your 401(K)?' No. It's more fun to complain than automate their finances."

The way to shut these misinformers down—and keep them from making you fear going outside—is to realize that tax policy doesn't affect your wallet at an everyday level and put them in their place. "Tell them, 'That's interesting, What do you think that I should be doing with my money?'" Sethi says. "Try to be more specific. What you will both realize is it's fun and easy to talk about things that are up in the air. People usually have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to day-to-day money management. Ask what they're going to do and watch the abstraction fall apart. They're just ranting about something abstract."

*All credit to "TheStreet" (http://www.thestreet.com/) for a real eye opening article. It's about time people started talking about finances and how friendships are often affected by poor financial decisions. Real talk for Real people.*

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THE OFFICIAL "INTERNATIONAL DIVA DAY" TEE! Get it today to celebrate!

Ladies, get the official "International Diva Day" tee today! Remember it's our day to celebrate "International Diva Day" Feb 20. Let's all band together and be the fabulous Diva's we were born to be.

Get it today at www.cafepress.com/DivasHouse
and show your "Diva" status!

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THE OFFICIAL DIVA'S NATION TEE! Get Yours Today!

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Diva's Nation
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