I still remember how my grandmother loved embroidery and cross stitching. She would spend hours and hours creating some of them most beautiful creations I have ever seen, some of which I still have in my home right now.

I am glad that in this fast-paced world some of us are willing to preserve the tradition of cross stitching. After all, some things such as family emblems, can only be created if you do them yourself and if you have some dmc cross stitch kits and threads. Without such kits and threads, you won’t be able to get very far. You simply need quality material to be able to accomplish what you want and need.

If you are looking for quality threads and live in Australia, you might want to check the website I linked to above. It is there where you will be able to find any colour of thread under the sun and find out what type of embroidery you will be able to create thanks to it. Cross stitching is not that difficult, so if you don’t have any previous experience in the matter don’t hesitate to give it a try. It might be a lot easier than you have ever thought.

Buying a new house is often included in the wish lists or life goals of many people. However, many people are not very practical when it comes to handling their finances. Therefore, they have a hard time fulfilling this one dream of owning a house. Do not fall for this kind of mistake. You should start to become more responsible even with the littlest things when it comes to money.

In this article, you will learn some practical tips from budgeting your money to avoiding trips to commercial coffee shops to help you save money enough to make down payment for home loans, like one from NPBS, and eventually buy your dream house in Australia for you and your family.

List down your expenses

It would be good to know where you spend your money so you can then distinguish the important ones from those that you can actually remove from your lists. So make sure to list down ALL your expenses from rent, electricity bill, gas, down to the packs of cigarettes you buy everyday. This way, you will be able to check if you’re ready and qualified to avail home loans or if not then you already have an idea how far you are from your goal.

Budget your money

To help you control your spending habits, it is advisable to come up with a budget plan. Budget your money including your allowance. And of course, make sure that you spend according to the set budget only.

Cook your meals

Instead of eating fast food and takeouts, it is best to cook your own meals at home. It will not just help you save money but it will make you healthier too. So start bringing packed lunches in the office or anywhere you go.

Make and drink your own coffee

Another habit that you should avoid is buying coffee from commercial coffee shops. Make your own coffee and drink it at home or in the office or you can bring one to go to. It is time you make use of your coffee maker.

Shop in schedule

You should control yourself from shopping expensive things and most especially you should avoid impulse shopping. What you can do is schedule your trips to the mall. This way, you can prepare a budget for it. Also, be sure to list down the things that you will buy to avoid buying unnecessary items.

Stop unnecessary subscriptions

You should assess all your subscriptions and unsubscribe to those that you do not use. Sometimes, you tend to overlook your subscriptions since most of these are auto-charging your cards and as a result, you are paying for so many things that you don’t actually need or use.

Stop smoking

Let’s admit it, smoking is not only bad for your health, it’s bad for your budget too especially when you calculate all the money you spent for cigarettes since you started smoking. So if you’re a smoker, do yourself a favor by quitting this bad habit.

Walk

Walking is good for you so make it a habit to walk especially when you’re destination is just few blocks away. Avoid using your car or hailing a cab. You’re not only doing yourself a favor but you’re also helping the environment.

Do not underestimate the power of seemingly little and unimportant things. Changing a simple habit can contribute a lot to saving money, which is enough to buy your first house.

Your wedding will be one of the most special and romantic days of your life. However, it can also be the most expensive day of your life! A lot of money goes into putting together a wedding, from the dress to the venue (check out Carden Park near Chester) to the catering to the entertainment and so much more.

You want your day to be romantic, beautiful and meaningful – but you don’t want to go bankrupt hosting this event. So, how can you save money on your big day? There are many ways that you can cut back costs so that your wedding isn’t as expensive. Here are some tips for saving money:

Ways to Cut Wedding Costs

• Don’t get married on a Saturday. Many venues will give you a discount if you book on another day instead, such as Friday or Sunday. Make sure that you give your guests plenty of notice so that they can book the time off work.
• Give yourself a lot of time to plan the wedding so that you can shop around for the best possible deal. It’s fine to be engaged for a year or even two while you put together your wedding. There are many wedding venues in Cheshire and the surrounding area to consider before you make your choice.
• Consider not getting married in the peak season. If you can schedule your wedding for spring or autumn instead, you’ll still have nice weather but you can enjoy cheaper prices.
• Find a venue that doesn’t require you to use a specific vendor for your catering, bartending, DJ, etc. You will save a lot of money by being able to shop around for your own.
• Think about having your ceremony and reception in the same room. The guests will sit at their tables and you will be able to start the cocktail hour right after the ceremony. This will save a lot of money on transporting the bridal party and booking two separate venues.
• Instead of having a sit-down dinner meal at your wedding, consider having an evening wedding and serving hors d’oeuvres which will also save you money.
• Instead of paying for a real fancy wedding cake, have a baker make a fake cardboard one with the top layer real for cutting. Then, have basic sheet cakes in the back that will be served to your guests.
• In fact, you don’t even have to have a cake if you don’t want to. Have a different dessert that your guests will love such as a chocolate fountain, a cookie bar or mini sweet pies.
• Choose a venue that is already gorgeous so that you will not have to spend a lot of money on décor.
• Instead of getting palladium opt for something cheaper like platinum wedding rings.
• Consider using fake flowers rather than real ones. They will be less expensive and these days artificial flowers can look just as gorgeous as the real thing.
• Think about wearing an off the rack wedding gown rather than having one made for you, if you can find one you like.
• Or, think about a used wedding dress instead. Many brides sell their gowns when they are finished with them and if you don’t mind wearing second hand you can get a great bargain.
• Think about looking for a white dress that isn’t necessarily a wedding gown. You could buy it from a formal dress shop for a much cheaper price than a wedding shop.
• Use more greenery than flowers in your decorations.
• Consider swapping out costly flowers for cheaper ones. Less expensive flowers that are in season and readily available can be just as beautiful as exotic ones.
• You might want to consider skipping floral décor entirely. You might be surprised to find that your guests don’t even notice.
• Try to reduce your guest list as much as possible and invite only the essential people in a small and intimate wedding.
• Have larger tables so that you will need fewer tablecloths and centrepieces.
• Borrow as much as you can second hand, especially if you have friends who have just gotten married a few years before.
• Think carefully before you go too much DIY. Sometimes buying all of the materials yourself and spending the time on the project will cost you more than hiring someone else to make or do it instead.

Keep these tips in mind to save your hard earned money when planning your special day.