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Appreciating Friendship: How To Say Thank You

Friendship comes in all kinds of packages.  The deep and lasting friendships that begin in junior school and extend into old age are rare indeed and often punctuated with quarrels and clashes of opinion over the years.  Friendship can evolve over a long period of time from being the giggling trio in the tree house to being companions in the care home.  Friends do not always get along and why should they?  The deepest friendships might be peppered with disagreements and squabbles, some of which are never quite resolved; both parties agreeing to disagree rather than dissolve a precious link as friends.

In country communities where there are few modern distractions and entertainments, friends share a social life of deeper intensity than city dwellers but tend to have fewer opportunities for leisure.  Friendship is therefore expressed in more practical ways.  A farmer might take over a sick friend’s chores; his wife might take care of her friend’s children as a gesture of friendship; friends who have suffered bereavement or be ill might be visited by friends bringing gifts of food.  Unfortunately, not a great deal of hugging and kissing goes on in these rustic communities; friendship is just not demonstrated that way.

Showing a friend you care need not cost much – in fact, it need not cost anything at all!  Women tend to have a better concept of how to express friendship than men, probably because they tend to be more emotionally charged where their friends are concerned.  A woman might vacuum the rugs or wash the dishes for a friend who has just had a baby or be overloaded at work – and these thoughtful rituals might just as easily be reciprocated in a companionable ‘you scratch my back and I will scratch yours’ give and take.  But isn’t this what friendship should be?  A two way exchange of consideration that benefits both…

At special times of the year and even for no particular reason, giving a friend a thoughtful friendship gift can mean a great deal.  Friendship thrives on consideration and companionship and cannot be expected to run forever on the occasional Christmas or birthday card.

In the holiday season as we shop for gifts to bring a smile to the face of a good friend, giving a meaningful and less costly gift, especially a gift that may be kept and treasured forever, will spread a little magic around and bring a sparkle to the occasion.

Born in Florida, Cathy grew up in Columbus, Georgia. She graduated with a BA Honors in Journalism from the University of Texas, where the emphasis of her studies was in photojournalism. After studying commercial photography at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, Cathy moved abroad to Israel where she has been for the past 23 years. Prior to forming <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="“http://mystonecompany.com/”” target=””_blank””>My Stone Company in 2005, Cathy specialized in food and portrait photography.

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You Really Keep Money if you Pay for Items in Bulk?

With the continued cost of various items in our society the concept of buying in bulk is getting to be more common that ever. Yet many people question if they are really saving money or not. The answer to this question that yes you will save money when you purchase the right items in bulk. For example you really don’t need to purchase a case of 200 light bulbs as that will last you for many, many years. On the other hand if you have a fairy large family or lots of guests on a regular basis you might consider buying toilet paper and paper towels in bulk.

Any item that you will use up in a short period of time is a good candidate for being purchased in bulk. There are many membership warehouses that offer bulk items that focus on families and small businesses. Dry ingredients for your home including sugar and flour are good options. Avoid buying bulk items that will result in eating the same thing day after day though as no one wants to have to do this. For example, don’t buy snacks and potato chips in bulk because everyone in your family will quickly tire of the taste.

If you find that such items like that are a good deal but more than you reasonably need, consider buying bulk items with another family. This way you can share the items and the expense. It is good idea to take the other party shopping with you so that everyone gets a fair say in what items will be purchased. You may need to be willing to try new brands of items to make this work. If the other party already uses that brand ask them to give you a sample. If you want them to consider your brand then offer them a sample of it to try as well.

Meat is probably the best item you can buy in bulk to save money. This will likely involve investing in a freezer that can be kept in your garage or basement to store the meat in. You can purchase a whole beef, ½ a beef, or even a quarter of beef. Bulk meats of bacon and pork from pigs are also a good option. Once again you may want to consider sharing the products and the cost with a friend or relative.

Canned goods last a very long time so you can purchase them in bulk and not have to worry about them spoiling. Some good choices are soups, canned vegetables, and various sauces that you will use for cooking. Babies are quite expensive as anyone with them can attest to. Buying diapers, baby food, and baby formula in bulk are all good ways to save money on those necessities. And finally, let’s not forget about the expense relating to feeding our pets. If you use dry cat or dog food then buying it in bulk may be a good option for you.

Most people don’t change the type of laundry detergent or cleaning supplies they use very often. You can purchase these items in bulk and save plenty of money. Most of the time they will come in larger bottles that you can pour into smaller spray bottles. Make sure you have a cool dry place to store the remaining cleaning supplies that are out of the reach of children.

To ensure you are really getting a good deal on bulk items, take the time to read the information relating to the cost of the item per unit. This way you can compare that price with the overall cost. In most cases you will be able to find some really good deals that save you money. On the other hand don’t be so quick to pick up that big package of what ever you are looking at without finding out how much each item is really costing you. Manufacturers have gotten very good at selling items on concept and package designs rather than pricing.

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