Friday, January 2, 2009

Scary Kids Halloween Costumes to Go Trick-or-Treating In

By Susan West

Halloween is a magical time when kids get to step out of their lives and become anyone they wish. The prelude to Halloween is just as fun as the night itself, and kids who want to be scary, creepy creatures should be encouraged to do so. After all, research shows that kids who pretend to be the ultimate in Halloween fright are less likely to be afraid of make pretend demons they encounter throughout the year. The perfect kids Halloween costume can set the night off with a bang.

Let's face it; life could get a bit hairy if Jr. or little Suzy was allowed to dress themselves every day. It takes practice to understand that "pants ARE important," or "one-armed monsters are not allowed at the dinner table." But on Halloween . . . a kid can truly be a kid. This does not mean that a kids Halloween costumes need to be obscene. There are many children's Halloween costumes that are "just scary enough." Just the option of choosing their very own costume will be exciting to Johnny or Suzy.

Children love make-believe and dress-up. What better time to enjoy this than at Halloween? Even though some have misgivings about the holiday, celebrate it for what it is; a time to pretend. If your child's Halloween costume choice is Count Dracula don't worry. Ignoring the notion of monsters or ghosts does not do your child any favors. Teach them that it's ok to face a monster. That monster could be either a kids Halloween costume or a personal fear. Addressing a fear is one thing, and celebrating it is another. It's widely debated whether participating with Halloween costumes is considered "celebrating." That decision is up to you. Regardless of your position, you have to admit that dress up is fun for children and that is exactly the purpose of a childs Halloween costume.

I saw a ghoulish princess last year, all dapper and primped in her little dress and her tiara. From the back she looked like just another princess in the sea of little girl dreams. When she turned around, her hallowed out eyes and the fake blood that ran from her lips was quite convincing. The stuffed animal she carried with her had its guts sewn to the outside, to make it look like the little princess had a snack before her treats. Creepy? Yes. Imaginative? Absolutely. Harmful? Not a chance.

It's healthy to create. Take advantage of the holiday and teach your children how to create. We all have an inherent sense, but creativity takes training and practice. Decide as a family on a theme and then everyone can create their own Halloween costume.

Whatever your budget, you should be able to find or create something suitable for your child. You don't need to break your bank to make your son or daughter a Halloween costume. An old white shirt of yours tied at the waist with a jaunty red sash, accessorized with some black leggings and some inexpensive tall boots, plus some skillfully applied makeup with an eye patch, makes a perfect pirate costume. Of course, you can also find ready-made costumes in every dollar range online, should you not want to make something yourself.

Using a lot of creativity to bring forth your child's most ghoulish desire might take a little research. Childs Halloween costumes no longer come from the discount store. Searching out excessively creative Kids Halloween costumes online makes a perfect family project. However, you should start this project at least a month before the big day. Children tend to change their mind a lot, but having the perfect kids Halloween costume ready for the big night makes a parent a superhero, even after they take off their costume. Edited by Glinda Zuladra

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The Benefits Of A Fixed Rate Remortgage

By katie George

There are many types of mortgages. One type that potential home owners will hear a lot about is a fixed rate mortgage. When looking for a mortgage it helps to understand the differences in each mortgage and what certain terms, like fixed rate, mean. This can help a home buyer choose the mortgage best suited for them. It can help them to make an informed decision. As the home buyer will find out fixed rate mortgages have some benefits over other mortgages.

First of all, there fixed rate refers to the interest rate. In the mortgage world there are two types of interest rates. There are fixed rate and flexible rates. Fixed rates stay the same for the life of the loan. The home buyer locks into the current interest rate that id offered when they sign the loan agreement. A flexible rate mortgage has a mortgage rate that changes.

With a fixed rate mortgage the home buyer has the benefit of having a mortgage payment that will be the same every month for the life of the loan. They will also know exactly the amount they are going to pay.

With a flexible rate mortgage the home buyer will have different payments each month as the interest rate goes up and down. They will not know the total amount of their loan overall nor will they know ho w much they owe each month beforehand.

Now the term fixed rate can apply to different types of loans. A first time home buyer loan, for example, can be a fixed rate loan. Any loan except a flexible rate loan can be a fixed rate loan. This is important for a home buyer to understand so they do not get confused or otherwise tricked by a lender.

Additionally, a fixed rate loan can be a bad choice if the market is currently in a trend where interest rates are dropping. If a home buyer is buying a home during a market like this their better choice would be to get a flexible rate loan and then lock in once interest rate bottom out.

A flexible rate loan can often be changed to a fixed rate, but it is very hard to switch a fixed rate to a flexible rate. The reason for this is that with a fixed rate the bank knows what they are earning and they like it when the interest rate of the fixed loan is higher then the current rate because they are making more money off it. To change a fixed rate loan to get a different interest rate would require a refinancing of the mortgage.

A fixed rate remortgage can be a good idea, but it can also be a bad choice. It is up the home buyer to know what to watch out for and to make sure they are making the best decision possible. The home buyer is going to be the one paying for their decision in the end. The lender may be willing to explain the options, but they are not likely to push a buyer into choosing the cheaper option. They simply sit back and let the home buyer decide.

5 Tourist Traps in Vienna

By katie George

Vienna isn't really much of a tourist trap like other cities. Prices for most museums are reasonable and student discounts are offered everywhere for those who have a student ID card. There are some precautions that should be taken like in any other big city, but in general, Vienna is very, very safe.

With a wide variety of museums, ranging from the odd (Museum of globes) to the bizarre (Museum of contraception), some of them are hit or miss, of course.

1. Horse-drawn carriages (Fiaker)

Taking a Fiaker is too expensive. Riding around town in a horse-drawn carriage sounds like fun, but when it comes to paying for it, the pleasure you had will be replaced with utter shock instantly. While these tours surely are an experience, they also will put a giant dent in your budget. Prices start from around 40 Euros for a quick tour around the downtown area that lasts about 20 minutes.

2. Avoid ticket agencies. Buy direct

Buying your tickets for cultural events at an agency means additional costs. Culture is a big deal in Vienna, you certainly shouldn't miss out on the special events here, but be smart when buying tickets for them. Try to get them without buying through a ticket office. They will charge you an additional amount of money. This is especially annoying when you could have saved those Euros by walking some additional meters.

3. Stay clear of people at Stephansplatz who are trying to sell you something or play games with you

Stehansplatz is a popular meeting point in Vienna and many people will try to make some money off those hanging around there. While there are some trying to sell you tickets to shows that might be overpriced, unexciting and of low artistic quality, these are rather harmless. Watch out for those trying to get you to participate in seemingly simple games. They work in teams and when you see somebody winning, you can assure yourself that they are part of the team.

4. Mexicoplatz and Karlsplatz may be dangerous at night

While Vienna really isn't a dangerous city, try to avoid these two locations at nighttime and act reasonably when you're there during daytime. Mexicoplatz in the 2nd district is known to be a popular place for the distribution of drugs, and the walkway below Karlsplatz is where a lot of drug addicts are spending their time. Avoid this area at nighttime when you're alone and be careful even when you're in company.

5. Disrespecting cultural events

As previously mentioned, culture is serious business in Vienna and shouldn't ever be disrespected. Try to dress and behave accordingly, regardless of the fact that you only might have paid 1,50 Euros to get in. This doesn't mean that you're expected to bring a suit and tie with you when you`re traveling through Europe, but try to wear clean, neat, ironed clothes when attending events, especially at the more prestigious places like Burgtheater, the opera, and others.