Take a look at this new ad we saw as we drove by Chin Chin Restaurant with our nearly empty gas tank. Isn’t this a smart idea?

Last Saturday, my husband and I went out for dinner. With a little gas left in the tank, we decided to eat at a nearby restaurant to save gas. If lucky we would try get gas after dinner. My husband thought the later the better. On the way to the restaurant, we passed our favorite BP gas station and found out it was open (3 days earlier it had been barricaded tightly with tires and yellow tape surrounding the gas pumps. It looked almost like a war zone).

Even though there was a fair line, it was not too long. I suggested we get gas before going to dinner or we wouldn’t get a chance at all. My husband didn’t like the idea. He didn’t want to think about spending our wonderful Saturday night waiting in line at the gas station. Far from romantic. But what choice did we have?

After my short sermon (I asked him to choose between a long sermon or short one and he chose the short one); he finally agreed to do it. We lined up behind the long train of vehicles. While cars moved slowly toward gas station, we passed the Chin Chin Restaurant. There’s a slogan on top of the building that we always laugh about when we read it. It’s “Chin Chin Restaurant, The best Chinese Restaurant in Town.” But we’ve rarely seen many cars there. It’s probably 4-5 max. 3 of them are probably the waiters’ and chefs’ :) It seems the slogan needs adjusting huh?

But the folks at Chin Chin never give up hope. I know they’re really a determined bunch. In order to market their restaurant, one of their tricks is slipping the menu into the doors of prospective customers’ homes. I don’t really like that marketing strategy.

It’s true, sometimes people see things as pain, but others see it as opportunity. There’s always Cin and Cang (Upsss!! sorry!) I mean yin and yang in Life. I really admire Chin Chin. They never give up hope. That’s the way to do business if you want to successful.

I am wondering how many people ordered their food while waiting for gas. So far I saw one. I saw a waiter run speedily toward a car with a delivery order a big grin.

Decorating your child’s room can seem tricky to pull off when you don’t know where and how to begin. When that room serves two children, the challenge can seem even more overwhelming. But have no fear. Not only are there a few simple things you can use to get started, but these long-lasting ideas can help anyone on a budget turn a boring room into a great-looking one.

The most important thing to address is where your children sleep. Certainly anyone who has two children in one room knows that space can be limited. While two beds might seem like a good idea to divide the room, this can be costly. Secondly, dividing the children’s rooms from a design stand point can throw off the flow of the room. Lastly, if your children are sharing a room, dividing it will only make it that: divided. Bringing in kids bunk beds makes sure that the children know they are sharing a space and will not lead to little battles every time one sibling’s stuff crosses the line.

Now that the children are settled into their shared space, make sure you can find a theme that will unite them. This is certainly easier if both children are the same sex, but either way a rule of a thumb is to pick neutral colors. Whether the walls are white or tan or light blue, having these kinds of hues outfit the walls makes for easier decorating all around. These types of colors are those that can grow with a child at any age, unlike juvenile pastels or garish pinks. Additionally, coinciding furniture is much easier to match against say a tan than something bolder and louder.

A good bet is to pick furniture that goes with the frame of the bunk bed. If you pick a metal framed bunk bed, fill the room with colors like black, gray, or white according to the paint job on the frame. A white bookcase, desk, toy box, and shelving will fit seamlessly with a white colored metal bunk bed, for example. If the frame is wood, simply follow the same rules and choose furniture in the same finish.

Lastly, incorporate aspects of each child into the room evenly. Be sure to fill the shelving with pictures of your children with their friends evenly. Also leave space for their own belongings accordingly in the closet. It is easy enough to have sides when it comes to the closet. As for the room, make it cohesive.

The great thing about a children’s room for two is that you save money only having to buy furniture for that room versus a couple. Having a kid’s bunk bed in the room is a great first step to tying the room together right off the bat. Next you simply have to match the rest of the furniture according to its style and color. And with that, your children will enjoy peacefully cohabiting their room, will not fight over sides, and you will walk away saving money for more important things you can do as a family.

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Spend? Save? Invest? Financial advisers give their 2 cents on 18 common (but vexing) money dilemmas.

Use a financial planner or organize and plan your finances yourself?
What to Do: Get help from a pro. Financial planners can help you organize your current finances and conceive a long-term plan to meet your goals (like upgrading your home or securing a target retirement income). Even if you understand personal finance, it’s hard to be objective about your own spending and savings patterns. Ask a friend who has had success with a planner for a referral, or visit the site of the Financial Planning Association (www.fpanet.org).

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