The John Tesh Blog

Christmas party: the buffet table...here's your guide to getting around it.

I hope you're getting ready to enjoy an upcoming weekend...maybe a holiday party to attend? If you have hopes of starting 2010 without some serious pounds to drop from too many trips to the buffet table, take some tips from Redbook magazine about what to have, what to avoid (and how to, too!) at parties, as well as at home:

Balance out your binges. There are 15 days left of the season. If you've let yourself eat whatever you want in the last couple of weeks, try now to scale back until December 24th. That way, you can enjoy a guilt-free holiday dinner, says Tallmadge. If you have events still to come, leading up to the end of the year, pick one party or dinner a week as the one where you splurge.

Don't stand near the hors d'oeuvres. "Take a few things, then go as far away from them as possible so you're not tempted to pick from the platter," says Jackie Newgent, R.D., a New York-based nutritionist and chef.

Alternate indulgences. Have cheese at one party, but no dessert, then switch it next time out, says Kathleen Daelemans, author of Getting Thin and Loving Food! Doing so will keep you from going too nuts—or saying no to nuts altogether.

Implement the 15-minute rule. Give yourself that much time before you hit up the yummies; grab a nonalcoholic beverage (like sparkling water with a lime twist) in the meantime to keep your hands busy. "People are usually nervous at the beginning of an event, so they dive into the buffet table and end up eating more," says Tallmadge.

Don't ban your favorites. "Decide which special foods you really want and enjoy them, but skip the rest," says Daelemans. So if you love eggnog, have a glass, but if you could take or leave gingerbread-man cookies, don't waste your calories on them.

Make water your best friend. Tallmadge recommends not drinking on an empty stomach and having two glasses of water for every glass of wine. "You want to sip and savor your wine, and grab and gulp your water," she says.

Keep in-between meals low-calorie. Balance out party splurges with super-healthy choices at other meals and on other days of the week, says Daelemans. Make green salads with low-fat dressing for lunch and pick lean meats (like chicken or pork) or broth-based or bean soups for dinner.

Oops, I ate it again! Whether you're whipping up a batch of cookies or making frosting, it's hard not to sample here and there. "But you can end up eating a whole dinner's worth of calories before you even sit down," says Tallmadge.

One misconception you need to avoid like the plague? The one where you tell yourself that you've already put on a few pounds- it's too late, so you might as well forget about it, and eat and drink whatever you want! You'll resolve to get thin at the new year, right? Uh-uh. Get back up on that wagon with me, friend- it's never too late to pull yourself back to some leaner, healthier choices. Good luck the rest of this week, too! (Now...will they just stop bringing cookies to the office??)

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Think Winter's just for snow sports? Saying "I do" could be just the sport for you.

The thing is, once a couple has made promises to one another for a life made together, in the end, it really doesn't matter where, does it? Well, of course, it does, to some degree. Couples have visions of how they want to share their special day with friends and family. And warm weather months certainly hold a great deal of promise for sunshine, and colorful new blossoms of flowers. Guest attendance comes into play, also, making summer the peak season for weddings. But MSN Money lays out some different perks for couples who marry in the winter- namely huge savings.

Peak wedding season falls between May and October in most of the U.S., says Richard Markel, the president of the Association for Wedding Professionals International. During that time, most wedding vendors -- including caterers, photographers and limousine companies -- charge the most because their services are in demand. But in the winter, business comes to a standstill, especially in the northern regions hit with particularly harsh weather, and engaged couples have more room to negotiate for lower prices.

During the winter, the number of weddings throughout the country declines by 40% to 50% below that of peak season, Markel says. And of the roughly 2.2 million weddings that take place in the U.S. each year, only 5% occur in January, he says. That winter dip in demand means that couples marrying during the cooler months compete with fewer weddings for vendors.

Couples who are considering a January, February or March wedding still have time to book vendors, Markel says. "Couples have a major opportunity because the number of weddings that occurred in 2009 has been down by about 5%, and bookings for early 2010 are down as well," he says.

(December weddings aren't as cheap because banquet facilities give priority to recurring customers: conventions and companies planning holiday parties.)

Here are the four types of wedding vendors with whom you'll see some of the biggest winter savings.

The Banquet Facility

The largest wedding-related expense is the banquet reception, which can cost more than $10,000, depending on the number of guests, location and menu, Markel says.

Typically, banquet facilities charge a fixed price per person. But between January and March, the total cost often drops between 20% and 50%, Markel says. (The savings will be lower in states that have warm weather throughout the year, like parts of Florida and California.)

Couples who get married in the Meeting House Grand Ballroom, a banquet facility in Plymouth, Mich., will see big price differences. For weddings between January and March, couples will pay Friday prices for a Saturday wedding, says Randy Lorenz, the owner and general manager. For a party of 200 adults, that's a discount of $2,000; the banquet facility also waives its $300 ceremony fee.

However, not all wedding venues are cheaper during the winter than during the spring, summer or fall. Weddings at ski resorts are priciest in the winter, the venues' peak season, says Elise Enloe, the director of education for the Association of Bridal Consultants, a trade group.

Also, facilities that are popular with corporate holiday parties or conventions tend to be busiest during the winter, says LeLani Mandac, a senior catering manager at the Hilton Anaheim in California.

To save with a winter wedding at the Hilton Anaheim, couples will have to reserve the space no more than six months in advance, she says. Couples who choose an available weekend between conventions could receive an upgraded package at no extra cost, like a $70-per-person plated dinner (the facility's priciest package) at a cost of $65 per person, or an additional hour for their wedding celebration, which usually costs $250, for free.

In New York, winter is typically slow for caterers and other wedding vendors, says Andrea Correale, the president of Elegant Affairs, an off-premise catering and event-design company. As a result, couples marrying there have more room to negotiate meal prices during the cooler months. A caterer's price difference between a winter and summer  wedding in New York is, on average, $50 per person, Correale says.

Another option, of course, is to skip dinner. Lunch or brunch can save you 50%.

Flowers

Couples set on a particular color or type of flower should keep an open mind or prepare to drop a lot of cash.

The average cost of wedding flowers ranges from $2,000 to $3,000 in the U.S., says Baxter Phillip, the executive vice president at Phillip's Flowers & Gifts in Chicago. To save with a winter wedding, choose flowers that are in season, like irises, orchids, lilies and most roses, he says. Hydrangeas and peonies are the most expensive in January, and red and white roses are the priciest in the two weeks leading up to Valentine's Day and during the holiday season.

Also, find out where the flowers are coming from. Their starting point and shipping costs factor into the price. Seventy-five percent of wedding flowers (primarily roses) come from South America, whose summer season is our winter, Phillip says. Those flowers often are more affordable for winter weddings in the U.S. than, say, flowers imported from Holland, which shares our winter. Distance is also a factor.

Photography and video

Fewer weddings mean fewer requests for photographers and videographers.

For weddings between December and March, many of these professionals discount their custom packages by as much as 10-25% of identical services for summer weddings.

Transportation

Limos are at their most expensive during prom season and peak wedding season -- periods that winter weddings avoid. So expect to pay 10% to 20% less during the winter than you would in May or June, Markel says.

Many companies lower the price on their fleet of limos and luxury cars for most weekend weddings between the first Saturday after Thanksgiving and the end of March. Couples could see savings in a typical stretch limo- as high as $475 in season, down to $400 in the off months.

The day of the week you choose for your Winter Wedding could save money also. From Sundays through Thursdays during the winter, Reston Limousine, based in Washington, D.C., offers a fourth hour free on any vehicle rental at least three hours.

If you and your "to be" have hearts set on those beautiful warm months, then as long as you have a plan for saving, stay with your original ideas. But if the idea of starting your married life off with a little more money (or, in many cases- a lot less debt!), then consider asking your family and friends to celebrate with you in clothes made of warmer fabrics (and wear a coat!)

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

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Your last minute bootcamp clean up for a special July 4th party!

Yesterday, we covered some major ground in pulling off a spontaneous Independence Day party this weekend!  Yikes- now you've got to get your house in shape- FAST!  Even if you're planning to have the entire party outdoors, Mother Nature might have a different idea about the ideal weather for a cookout, and, at some point, your guests WILL be in the house.  OK- grab the entire family in for this (they're planning to enjoy the party, too, right?  Right!)- it cleaning bootcamp-style, with some expert, and oh, so wonderful time-saving help from TheDinnerPartyPlanningSite.com!  Go!

House cleaning tip # 1
Schedule the cleanup session the day or evening before your dinner party, or at the latest, the morning of the party. Don’t leave it any later, because you should have lots of energy to enjoy your guest, and your party!  (No one wants to see their host yawning over their dinner plate!) Remember, you want time to do the last minute cooking, and you want time to take a quick break just before the guests arrive.

What you don’t want is a never-ending series of tasks that last right up until the first car pulls up. So get that cleaning out of the way well beforehand.

House cleaning tip #2
Think about just what spaces your company might go into.   Here’s a likely list, if applicable to your home.

• The foyer, or areas around the main door guests might use
• The living room and dining room areas (in case the weather moves you all indoors!)
• The kitchen
• The bathroom
• The hallways connecting any of these places

Decide now that the places you just listed are the places that will get your cleaning, tidying and de-cluttering attention and energy. That's it. This isn't time for a whole house cleaning mindset.  Besides, you're much more likely to have better moods from the help...that would be your family...if the job of pre-party housecleaning doesn't sound overwhelming to them.

House keeping tip #3
This is all about speed cleaning in the most efficient way. Here’s a housecleaning checklist to help you speed clean your way around the places your guests may go into:

• Carry your supplies with you in a container
• Bring a clutter box into each space.
• Unless you can store the clutter right in that same space, right now, put the clutter in this box as you go. Remember, this is not about organizing your closet, or your kitchen or any other room.  This is cleaning bootcamp!
• If you don’t have time to deal with the box, leave it until after the dinner party. Then it can become a separate organizing project.
• Clean from top to bottom
• Pay special attention to around light switches and door handles where you are likely to find fingerprints
• Work your way around the room rather than darting from corner to corner.
• Dust first, then vacuum

House cleaning tip # 4
Pay special attention to the bathroom. Let's be honest.  You don't want a nagging feeling of dread about the state of a toilet!  Do a quick cleanup, but take some extra care with these essentials:

• Make sure the toilet is perfectly clean.  (Pour your toilet bowl cleaner in; tackle the other areas, like the sink and counter, then go back to finish the bowl.  A little baking soda on the toilet brush helps.)
• Put out extra toilet paper where your guests can see it easily.
• Put out fresh hand towels.
• Wipe any spots off the mirror.

House cleaning tip # 5
Pay special attention to the kitchen too. It’s the workspace for your July 4th bash! Do a quick cleanup including washing the floor if necessary. You might be eating outside, but you also might have the kitchen serve as a main food station. Here are the basics:

• Clear off the counters. Remove everything you can if you don’t need it for the cookout
• Wipe off the stove top
• Get the dishwasher ready for action - even though you'll most likely use paper products and plastic utensils, you'll still wind down the party with at least a few serving dishes and utensils- it'll make clean up that much easier if the dishwasher's ready to go
• Put out clean dish towels and dish cloths
• Make the sink sparkle.

Last tip, # 6, for the outside 
Just like a whole house cleaning venture, this isn't the time to completely re-think your outside landscaping (where you're hoping to host most, if not all, of your party.)  Your guests don’t expect you to work a miracle. But attention to some of the visually most obvious details will put everyone in a party frame of mind:

• Mow the lawn
• Remove clutter or extra stuff, like toys, trash bins, or gardening hoses and tools, to make space for chairs, tables, and your guests. 

Enjoy yourself and your guests will enjoy your 4th of July party. This is Summer; it's the celebration of our nation's birth, and you deserve to feel great about your party! 

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Your guide to a last minute "Let's have a 4th of July party this weekend!"

The anniversary of our nation's birth, when you think about it, is reason enough to celebrate!  Add in that this year, July 4th falls on a Saturday, and you've got a party just waiting to take shape.  Except that if you were really, seriously, going to consider throwing a party, you should have started planning weeks ago!  And then there's the cost to think of as well, since many folks are feeling a financial crunch these days.  How about a step by step plan to cover last minute plans, and a frugal budget, all while leaving you,  and your family and friends, with a fantastic Independence Day celebration?   Jump start your plans with this "light on your wallet", step by step guide, from Ft. Wayne's special July 4th party page:

• Barbecue foods are some of the most cost-conscious , and popular, Summer party choices. Hot dogs and hamburgers will taste great to everyone on your guest list and are reasonably inexpensive, especially when you buy in bulk. For even more savings per burger, purchase flash-frozen hamburger patties instead of fresh from the meat counter. (Have some ready to grill frozen veggie burgers on hand, too, so that even your vegetarian guests can have a "burger.")  Supermarkets generally discount buns and condiments close to the July 4th weekend, so browse through sales circulars for the best deals. Ask everyone to bring a side dish, or drinks.  Guess what?  Unless your guests are made of money, no one will mind being asked- you're offering your home for everyone to gather, right?

• Send out e-vites to guests and save on postage and paper invitations. They're fast, environmentally friendly, and best of all: inexpensive to send.

• Entertainment can be simple. If kids will be coming to the party, they usually can be entertained by a day in the backyard swimming pool or by setting up a sprinkler to keep cool. Adults will make due with conversation and some music playing in the background. If budget allows, you can purchase some outdoor games, such as water balloons, a limbo stick and a pinata, or ask guests if they have these items they could lend for the party.  (For the possibility of unfortunate weather, make a stop SOON to your local library to check out some patriotic music and a few good movies to have on hand.)  To really get in the Independence Day mood, how about quizzing your guests with some Declaration of Independence trivia?  Or, have a challenge for the guest who knows the most states and their corresponding capitals?  Older elementary kids, especially, will be quite good at this.  When you stop by your local library to find some "just in case" movies, take a few minutes extra to do some research.

• Visit a 99 cents store. For those with this type of store in their neighborhood, shopping for party supplies can be inexpensive. These stores stock everything from colored plates and napkins, balloons, decorations, and more for around one dollar each item. If you don't have a 99 cents store, wholesale-type stores may also stock inexpensive items.

• Reign in the booze budget- entirely. Alcoholic beverages can take a huge bite out of a budget.  With kids around, and the need for many designated drivers, they're also unnecessary.

• Do dessert. On a hot day, and after spending hours in the yard, a cool dessert will be appreciated. A cost-effective treat is prepackaged ice cream cups. Or find out if you can arrange to have an ice cream truck pass by your home the day of the party and make dessert the guests' responsibility.

• Watch someone else's fireworks display. Fireworks are expensive and illegal in some areas. So leave the display to someone else. Public parks, boardwalks and municipal areas tend to put on fireworks shows every year. The key is to track down a display nearby on the day of your party. Remember to leave early to find a good seat, unless you know somewhere close to the venue where you can watch from your tailgate or vehicle.  If the display is in a park, take chairs or blankets to sit on and some drinks and snacks to enjoy during the viewing. 

We live in a remarkable country! Your party, and your sanity, should reflect that!  This is about friendship, fun and celebration!  Saturday marks a perfect opportunity to share with kids and friends alike how lucky you feel live here.  That's worth celebrating, I think.  Tomorrow:  we'll tackle some of the fastest, most efficient steps to take when it actually comes right down to cleaning up around the house, before your guests arrive on Saturday!

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Fire up, friends! Grilling season is here.

Ahh...remember last Memorial Day?  Gorgeous day, the yard looked great because the family worked tirelessly, and agreeably for once! to make inside and out look festive and welcoming.  You cooked and prepared.  Finally, time for the guests, and everyone's having a fabulous time!  Your in-laws are all speaking to one another.  What could go wrong?  Well, you found out, didn't you?  Got the dogs and burgers on the grill, turned them after a few minutes, and then...nothing.  That's when your spouse asked you if you'd checked the propane tank earlier that day.  Oops.  OK- lessons learned, right?  Not going to happen again- no sir, not on your watch!  How about if we make sure of that before this upcoming, unofficial start to Summer, holiday weekend arrives, bringing your chance for redemption.  Real Simple magazine's going to walk you through it, with the tips you need to have your grill- gas or charcoal- in top condition, ready to go, and set to make you King or Queen of the Grill!

Clean the burner and tubes. Make sure the propane tank is turned off. Remove the briquettes and cooking grates, and carefully detach the gas tubes and burner. Clean the tubes with warm, soapy water and towel dry. Wipe the burner clean with a damp cloth. Towel dry the gas ports on the burner, then clean out each one with a toothpick.

Wash the grill. First, cover the gas valves with aluminum foil to protect the connections from corrosion. Wash the grill’s interior and exterior surfaces with a long-handled stiff-wire grill brush and warm, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and towel dry, then reattach the gas tubes and burners.

Burn off the grease. During the grill season, briquettes transfer heat to the cooking grates, leaving them coated with grease. Before firing up your grill for the season’s inaugural cookout, flip over the briquettes, close the lid, and heat the grill on high for 15 minutes.

Clean the cooking grates. Cool the grill after burning off the grease. Remove the briquettes and cooking grates and scrub the grates with a long-handled stiff-wire grill brush and warm, soapy water. Towel dry, then replace, along with the briquettes.

Stock fuel levels. Check and replenish your propane or natural gas supply as necessary.  Maybe we should move this one to the top of the list, huh?  Corroding and rusted tanks should be recycled; return your tank to a propane supplier or check local listings for tank recycling companies.

But maybe last year- the propane tank fiasco, has you convinced to go old school for the grill, with your reliable charcoal grill.  That's covered, too.

Remove any ashes. If any remain from last season, dispose of them in a noncombustible container.

Clean the grate. Before you have your first cookout, light a fire and heat the grate for about 30 minutes. Then scrape it with a long-handled stiff-wire grill brush to remove any leftover bits of food. If you don't have a grill brush, use a ball of crumpled foil held in long-handled tongs.

Wash the grill. Wash the outside of the lid and firebox with warm, soapy water; use a steel-wool soap pad for stubborn interior stains. Rinse and dry.

Stock charcoal. Start the season right with an ample supply of charcoal (the amount will vary depending on how often you grill.)

Food, family and friends, good weather (sorry, no tips on how to ensure that), and with this checklist, you, my Grilling Master Friend, are ready to go. 

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

10 Questions to Ask Before Saying 'I Do'

Congratulations, you've found Mr. or Ms. Right, fell in love and now the Big Day is right around the corner!  Whoa!  Hang on a minute, and read on.  We've uncovered some great ways to make sure your Big Day doesn't turn into Big Debt!   But before your special day arrives, do your soon-to-be and yourself a huge service by sitting down to ask, and discuss, some mighty big questions, from Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine.  You may save yourself some arguments later by talking about your money now.

More important than the cake, flowers or even the invitations is preparing for your financial future together. Make a date to sit down, discuss your goals and expectations and come up with a plan for an effective merger of your financial lives. It may not sound romantic, but considering that quarreling over money is one of the biggest causes of marital discord, a money talk may be just what Cupid ordered.

"Financial dates are a great way for couples to set priorities, build trust and increase marital bliss," says Jennifer Openshaw, chief executive of FamilyFN, a Los Angeles company that provides financial advice. "Probably the biggest mistake couples make is not talking about money. It's really about setting aside time so you can both plan for your hopes and dreams."

1. Where would you like to be in five or ten years? This question is the best way to start a money conversation, says Openshaw. For example, does one of you want to go back to school, start your own business or own a vacation home? And if you plan to raise a family, how many children and when? Would you both continue working, or would one spouse want to quit and stay home with the kids? You may think you know just what your future husband or wife is expecting, but have you asked in detail?  Talk about your hopes and dreams together, and now, to set your mutual priorities, and pinpoint for both of you what you need to do to achieve your savings goals.

2. What are our assets and liabilities? Before you can create an effective strategy to reach your goals, each person should fill out a net worth worksheet, detailing your own assets and liabilities. Once you know where you each stand right now, it's much easier to move forward. If you need help, you might think about consulting a financial professional to help you navigate through this, and make a livable plan.

This is the time, too, if you haven't discussed it already, to bring up a prenup.

A prenuptial agreement spells out how assets will be distributed in the event of a divorce. No one likes to think about it, especially right before the "happiest day of your life", but with about one-third of first marriages and half of second marriages ending in divorce, it makes sense to protect your financial interests.

Prenups aren't just for the super-rich. If either of you owns a home or has investments, owns a business, plans to support the other through school, or you have children from a previous marriage, you probably need a prenup.

Make sure you broach the subject with your partner as soon as possible. It may not be the most romantic discussion, but better now than bringing it up the night before the wedding. Learn more about prenups.

3. Should we keep our finances separate or combine them? Some couples relish the unity and trust that joint accounts foster, while others prefer more freedom and autonomy by maintaining separate accounts. Many couples decide that there is good to be said for both- some couples set up a joint account for household expenses, to which each of you contribute based on your respective incomes, while keeping separate accounts for personal spending.

The key is to find a system that works for you. Make sure you consider your individual money styles. If you are a saver and your partner is a spender, for example, you might find managing an all-purpose joint account too nerve wracking and opt for a combo approach or separate accounts entirely.

4. What about our investments? Whether or not you choose to combine your investment accounts is, again, entirely up to you. (Note: You cannot open joint IRAs or 401(k)s, but you can change beneficiary information.)

Nevertheless, it's important to view your portfolios as a whole to make sure you aren't overlapping. If you both hold shares of the same stock, for example, you could be placing yourselves at risk should anything happen to the company. Check for overlap in your mutual funds using Morningstar's free Instant X-Ray.

5. How will we handle daily spending decisions? One of the first tasks newlyweds should tackle is creating a budget. Sit down together and plot out how much you expect to spend on groceries, clothes, eating out and other household expenses.  Then be sure to add in a certain amount to prepare for unexpected expenses.

"Budget" doesn't have to be a four-letter word -- think of it as a means to reaching your goals.

You should also take this time to discuss other spending issues, such as how much each of you can spend without consulting the other. You probably don't want to discuss every $5 purchase, but you don't want to come home from work to find a brand new, and quite unexpected new car in the driveway, either.

6. Who will be responsible for paying the bills and preparing the taxes? Don't make what seem to be natural assumptions here, friend.  Sure, one of you might seem the logical choice, but all you need to do is bring it out in the open.  Be sure one of you won't feel any resentment about the choices to be made- who's going to write the checks, rebalance portfolios, sift through the dust every year at tax time, and other issues.  Is one of you more organized than the other?  As I said, these decisions might seem perfectly obvious to one of you- be sure they're clear to you both.  Make a monthly date to review the month's expenses, spend a few extra minutes to review where you stand on your current saving progress, and talk about the possibility of upcoming expenses, like vacations or bigger purchases.

No matter who ends up handling the bills in your marriage, make sure each partner knows where to find all the different account information, including Web sites, passwords and bill due dates in case anything should happen and the other person needs to take over the responsibilities.

7. What is your tolerance for financial risk? One of the biggest culprits in marital money fights is a mismatch of risk tolerance, says Jonathan Rich, author of The Couple's Guide to Love and Money.

"A lot of life's most important decisions involve weighing risks," Rich says. From investing strategies to career moves, if one of you prefers to take bigger risks in hope of bigger rewards while the other is content to play it safe, you could each end up resenting the other for his or her carelessness or for holding you back, says Rich.

Here's a small test, too, to see where you both stand. If you're on different ends of the risk spectrum, don't even try changing your spouse's point of view -- it won't happen. Instead, try to compromise on financial strategies that both of you can stomach.

8. What are our insurance options? Adding a spouse to your health insurance may be cheaper than maintaining separate plans. Consider your specific health needs, then look at the costs and benefits of each person's plan choosing. Combining your auto-insurance coverage will probably also save you money. You'll want make sure you have enough homeowners or renters insurance to protect your combined possessions. And what about life insurance? Do you need it? If you already have some, either privately or through an employer, do you need to change your beneficiary information?

9. How does your credit report look? The good news is that simply marrying a person with bad credit will not drag down your stellar record. What's his is his and what's hers is hers. So, if you apply for a car loan by yourself, your spouse's credit report won't even enter the picture.

But when it comes to applying for joint financing -- say, you plan to buy a house together -- lenders will consider both your histories. It's better to know ahead of time of any potential problems than to receive bad news in the mortgage lender's office that you're stuck with a higher interest rate, don't qualify for as much money as you'd planned or that you're being turned down for the loan entirely.

Order copies of your credit reports. You are entitled to a free copy each year from the three major credit bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com. You and your partner should examine your reports, look for errors and fix them. Then, if there's room for improvement, come up with a plan to boost your credit score.

10. How will we tackle existing debt? Make a pact to pay off your debts. Start with the balances that carry the highest interest rates.  You may choose to work individually or collectively to pay off debts you accrued before the wedding, but don't add each others names to your obligations. Also, consolidating your own student loans to lock in record-low rates is a good move -- but, again, don't merge your loans with your spouse's. The commingled debt would be nearly impossible to untangle should you ever divorce, and if one of you were to default, the other would be left holding the bag. 

THERE.  Take these steps now, and enjoy the feeling of financial peace of mind and confidence that are as much a part of your new life together as the vows you're ready to take together.

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

Check out the new John Tesh Social Network. You can connect with new friends, post your own blog, visit various forums, upload your favorite John Tesh music and share your photos.  To learn more about how to join, click here.

Get your house in gear for Summer

Ah, summer. Flowers bloom, birds sing and "for sale" signs pop up all over the place. If you think lately that you've seen more "for sale" signs in yards than normal, you might be right. According to Becky Coslett, licensed realtor for more than nine years, summer is home-shopping time for two reasons:

1.	The warm weather makes homes, grounds and streets more appealing.
2.	People market their homes in the summer because school is out. "It's difficult to move children during school, especially if they are transferring schools," Coslett explains. "Parents are very sensitive to that."

If you want to spruce up your home for a sell, an upcoming graduation party or to simply add to its market value, now's the time to do it. Here are some ideas from P&G Everyday Solutions on how to spruce up your home this summer.

Value-Adding Ventures

A little elbow grease is all you need to make your home stand out. Before the heat rises, here are some pre-summer projects not to be ignored:

	Clean out gutters.
	Clean/refinish lawn furniture.
	Schedule routine checks for your air conditioner.
	Clean walls, removing any fingerprints, dirt or crayon artwork.
	Install window screens.
	Repair/clean siding.
	Caulk, seal and weather-strip all seams, cracks and openings to the outside so cold air can't leak out.

Home Seller's Checklist

If you plan to sell your house this summer, Coslett offers this list of deal-breakers that home buyers look for; the good news is they're all preventable and fixable.

	Smells, especially pet odors
	Cleanliness
	Leaky basements
	Cracks in foundation
	Spots on ceilings
	Color of paint or wallpaper
	Condition of carpet

 
The summer months are a great time for showcasing your home. Whether you're planning a move — or just getting ready for your annual Memorial Day shin-dig — the time to get your house in gear has arrived. Stick to these tips, and you'll be on track for a first-rate summer fix-up.

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

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