PostsBenefits of Giving + Printable Random Act of Kindness CardYou know that warm fuzzy feeling you get around when you watch someone open a gift you gave them? Seeing the pure joy and excitement on their face is priceless. So why do we wait until special occasions like holidays or birthdays to give someone a gift ? There are so many reasons why we should give just because, including building stronger relationships and improving your overall happiness. Check out these reasons to give so you can take advantage of all the amazing benefits of giving no matter what time of year it is. Creates Stronger Relationships With Others When you give someone a gift, you tend to feel closer to them while they feel more linked to you in return. Connecting with people through gift-giving boosts your relationship and builds trust between one another, so when you want to enjoy the emotional benefits of a strong friendship, give them a thoughtful gift. Makes You a Happier Person The happiness you feel when you watch someone receive a gift is due to your brain rel 5 Ways to Save on Thanksgiving and Christmas DinnerImage Credit Preparing aThanksgiving dinner can be expensive - especially this year.Here are some tips to save and budget for holiday dinners for consumers on a budget from the personal finance site MyBankTracker.com : 1. Budget and plan a menu Estimate how many guests will attend and who will bring a dish. Set a budget and break that down to cost per serving(s). Then you can start looking at recipes to figure out which you can afford. 2. MacGyver your meals - improvise or substitute Dont buy an expensive ingredient just because a recipe calls for it, especially if you will only use a small amount. Look for a substitute. If a recipe calls for a tablespoon of wine and you wont drink the rest, diluted vinegar (use twice as much water like balsamic), lemon juice or even a tart juice can make excellent substitutions. Mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt and cream cheese are almost interchangeable, so shop the sales and buy the cheapest. This works for dips, dressings, spreads, quiches anHow To Tell the Difference Between the Common Cold the FluImage Credit Since the common cold and flu signs and symptoms are similar, it can be challenging to determine which one you have if youre feeling under the weather. Both of these sicknesses are caused by different viruses, which means they cant be treated with antibiotics; instead, each illness has to run its course. When the cold virus enters your body, it multiplies itself and infects healthy cells. Most people start to feel symptoms one to three days after theyre exposed. Typically these symptoms last seven to 10 days but can continue for up to three weeks. Adults are generally afflicted with two or three colds per year. You can get the flu any time, but this illness is most common from October through May, which is infamously termed the flu season. Unlike a cold, a flu vaccine is offered. This lessens the likelihood youll get the flu, and if you still get sick, the symptoms shouldnt be as harsh. Flu symptoms should go away after five days, butHanukkah Recipe: Hidden Veggie LatkesCredit: PJ Library- Visit https://pjlibrary.org/hanukkah for more free, creative recipes, activities, podcasts and more! Ingredients 1 large russet potato, peeled 1 large zucchini, peeled head of cauliflower yellow onion 1 clove of garlic, finely minced cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon kosher salt teaspoon pepper Vegetable oil for frying Preparation: Grate together potato, zucchini, cauliflower, and onion. Use a food processor to make this step faster. Wrap the vegetable mixture in a cheesecloth or a lightweight kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. In a large bowl, combine vegetables with garlic, flour, baking powder, eggs, salt, and pepper. In a frying pan heat inch of oil on medium-high. Carefully drop a heaping tablespoon of latke mixture into oil. Fry for roughly 2 minutes, then flip and fry the other side. Transfer each latke to a paper towel-lined platter. Serve while warm. About PJ Library A free programA bathroom renovation is an exciting opportunity. Youre able to tear down your existing bathroom and finally create the room of your dreams. It is an expensive process, but there are ways to make it cheaper. If you plan carefully and focus on saving money, you dont need to sacrifice your dream in order to get a new bathroom. Here are five tips that will help you save money on your bathroom renovation. Keep Your Plumbing In Place Your bathroom has a set footprint where the plumbing is set up for the toilet, sink, and bathtub. If you want to change the location of any of these things, youll have to get new plumbing installed. This is potentially a very expensive thing to do. If the location of the appliances works for you, leave them in place. Then you can avoid that bill and put the money toward something else. Plan Ahead It is essential that you plan everything out before you begin any demolition. One place where people overspend is in last-minute decisions. TheyWhat Are the Best Renovation Projects to Increase Your Home's Longevity?People renovate their homes for many different reasons. If your home isnt exactly what you want it to be, it is much easier to renovate your existing home instead of attempting to buy a new one. Almost 28% of homeowners agreed with this statement and it applies to all different types of renovations and the reasons behind them. One popular reason to renovate is to improve the longevity of your home. You want it to remain safe, comfortable, and valuable for as long as possible. If this is why youre considering home renovations, here are five projects that achieve this goal. Replace Your Roof Your roof is the most important part of your house. It keeps the house waterproof and protects everything inside. A good roof is expensive, but will help you avoid structural damage from the elements. One money-saving tip when replacing your roof is to consider multiple contractors. Get quotes from a few different companies and then determine which one to work with. If someone offers a lThe Future of Shopping at Choices is HereChoices Markets Launches New Online Grocery Store Choices Markets today announced it is entering the online shopping business, making it easier for customers to shop for local, organic and specialty food items with its new online store set to open in South Surrey and Vancouvers Kitsilano region this week. Choices new online store is rolling out through the month of November to its remaining locations to ensure the best possible experience for its customers. Over the past year, the need for people to shop in a safe and convenient manner has become more important than ever, says Jon Janower, Choices Markets COO. Thats why Choices Markets is proud to announce the launch of our new online store. Weve used the latest technology to develop an easy-to-use, responsive platform in order to offer the best online shopping experience for our loyal customers. Best of all, our shoppers dont have to compromise. Were happy to say that shopping for the latest and greatest in unique, local, or