Dear Just Be: I need ideas for Valentine’s Day.

Ah Valentine’s Day, a day that has blossomed into a Hallmark holiday. Personally I’m not a huge fan of the holiday because it feels like it is celebrated out of an obligation and not as an acknowledgement. However for those of you that do enjoy celebrating the day, here are some ideas for celebrating with your loved ones. Be creative, and you will see from the ideas below that celebrating Valentine’s doesn’t have to drain your wallet.

Men for Women:
1.) Breakfast in bed
2.) Draw her a bubble bath
3.) Pamper her by personally giving her a manicure, pedicure, facial, or massage
4.) Help with tasks around the house
5.) Bake sweets or make crafts with her
6.) Dance
7.) Volunteer together at a non-profit
8.) Write and post notes of affection around the house

Women for Men:
1.) Cook dinner together
2.) Pal around (play a round of golf, laser tag, go to the batting cages, etc.)
3.) Get car washed and waxed
4.) Spend the day outdoors and then have a picnic
5.) Enjoy a dinner and a movie at home
6.) Go to a museum or sporting event
7.) Do an activity you have in common
8.) Create a scavenger hunt for him to do throughout the day, and at the end of the day give a big gift or have him meet you at a special place

Dear Just Be: I want to make some changes in our family to make a positive impact in the world, any suggestions of what I can do?

Whether it is due to the recession, or recent world events, many people are looking into making small individual changes that can better our communities and our planet. A visible difference is that we see reusable, cloth shopping bags more and more everyday at our stores. But once you are in the store do you give much thought to what you are buying and how it can impact your community?

There is a growing movement to buy local products. When you buy local products you are helping cut down on fuel consumption. Products that are shipped from overseas or even from across our own country use more fuel than products shipped from within your are, state or region to your store. You and your family can also benefit since most produce will be fresher if purchased locally and local produce tends to be cheaper than produce shipped from far distances.

Another positive impact buying locally has, is that it supports your local economy and can preserve the local economic diversity. When there are more independent stores to choose from versus a few mega-stores, we can create unique characters to our neighborhoods and communities. The stores can truly reflect the needs, wants and personality of the people within the community.

It has also been shown that local businesses produce more income, jobs and tax receipts in local communities as compared to big chain operations. Local infrastructure, such as roads, schools, fire & police protection, are supported when we buy locally.

So the next time you head to teh store for grocery, clothes or household shopping - take along your reusable cloth shopping bag (or a backback) and give some thought as to where the products are coming from before you purchase them. And don't be afraid to inquire with the store management if you are unsure where their products are from or to request that they offer more local produced items.

Dear Just Be: My friends and family keep asking me to join Facebook, but I don’t know what it is and how to join.

Facebook is one of many social networking mediums that allow people with similar interests, or backgrounds to communicate. Simply put it is another way of getting in touch and staying in touch with others. With Facebook you can post pictures, videos, and links to websites you like; send direct messages to certain people, or join in a conversation with multiple people.

Getting started on Facebook is relatively easy. Simply sign up. The next step is filling out your profile. Don’t feel like you have to fill out everything on the form, only fill out what you are comfortable sharing. The next part, and a little more challenging, is adding family and friends to your network. Probably the easiest way to do this is by importing names from your active email account. The final step is reaching out to friends and family. The first way to say hello is writing on a person’s Wall. The Wall is public – so whatever you write on that Wall everyone who is friends with that person will see your message. If you want to write something of a personal nature than use Facebook’s own email service. Messages here can only be seen by the person it is directed to.

There is some etiquette to Facebook. It is not considered polite if you just look at what other people have on their Walls or profiles, but don’t comment or add anything to your Wall and profile. The great part of social media is that it is interactive, so do participate. However, excessive participation (multiple posts throughout an hour) is just as annoying. If you are sharing every moment you take a breath - that is too much. There is a fine line between too much information and not enough. Also, don’t post comments like I just woke up, or I am going for a run. One, no one cares and two, you have to be careful of what you are telling people because unfortunately, people can use that information against you.

Facebook is a dynamic platform to get connected with others you know or have common interests with. Play around on the medium and you will see just how much there is that you can do on Facebook.

For more information on getting started on Facebook visit:
http://news.cnet.com/newbies-guide-to-facebook/

For Facebook do’s and don’ts visit:
http://teenadvice.about.com/od/adviceexpert/a/usingfacebook.htm
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/154374/facebook_etiquette_five_dos_and_donts.htm

Dear Just Be: What's all the buzz about buying a home soon to help save money?

The "buzz" that you may be hearing is in reference to the Extended Tax Credit. Congress passed legislation that has extended the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April 30, 2010. If you are not considered a First-Time Home Buyer, you may qualify for the $6,500 credit that has been extended to current home owners who purchase a new or existing home also before April 30, 2010.

To see if home ownership, under the Extended Tax Credit, applies to you, consider the following though:

1. The tax credit applies to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes and co-ops.
2. The $8,000 and $6,500 figures stated above are the maximum allowable credit for first-time and current home buyers respectively.
3. The price of the home and the home buyers income determine the amount of the tax credit. (The amount of the tax credit DECREASES as the home buyer's income INCREASES towards ))allowable income level.)
4. To qualify, there must be a written binding contract for the property by April 30, 2010 and the purchaser must close by July 1, 2010.

Who is considered a first-time home buyer or an eligible current homeowner?
To qualify as a first-timer home buyer, the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase. Qualified current homeowners are those purchasers who have used the home being sold or vacated as their principle residence for five consecutive years within the last eight years.

For more details concerning the Extended Tax credit visit http://www.irs.gov/ or http://www.realtor.org/.