Have you ever thought about renting DVD's online?

As they are delivered straight to your mailbox, it is a wonderful way to catch up on the newest movie releases or having another look at those old favourites without leaving the comfort of your centrally heated home.

It cuts out all the inconvenience of that trip to the shop with the inevitable battle for parking space and the frustration of trying to find something worth watching that isn't already out.

Never mind the saving on fuel.

Here are eight useful tips that will help you get the maximum value from your DVD online rental subscription.

1. Choose one of the rental sites that will provide you with a variety of services. A good one here is Tesco DVD Rental, which, in addition to movie DVD's also offers popular TV series. Another is LoveFilm, which offers video games as well as DVD's.

2. Providers like Blockbuster DVD Rental and LoveFilm are both good choices as they allow you to browse by either title or category, taking into account user experience.

3. Make a list of DVDs you would like to see and keep it accessible. This makes for easy selection when faced with a vast choice on the rental site.

4. Use the DVD rental site's search feature to check out what other movies your favourite actors or film directors have been involved in and then add those to your wish list.

5. A site like covers reviews on almost any movie you can think of. If writing your own movie reviews grabs you, some DVD rental sites enable and encourage subscribed members to write and post their own movie reviews.

6. Leisure activities are well catered for on the rental sites and you will find DVD's on just about any hobby or activity you can think of, be it model aeroplanes or pottery.

7. Do remember to mail your movies back as soon as you've watched them. If you are intending to spend a quiet weekend at home watching movies you must plan well ahead to avoid any disappointment. Remember the early bird saying!

8. A really fun thing to do is to organise theme nights with friends. Fancy dress is optional!

As you will discover pretty soon, online DVD rental has made the whole concept of watching movies at home so much easier and cheaper.

To find out more about the different DVD rental services available and also to make the most of your rental subscription, use a UK DVD rental comparison site like ChooseDVDRental.co.uk which will help you select the most suitable provider and package for your individual needs.

Shirley Stevens is an independent film and movie journalist. When not watching blockbusters she writes for UK DVD Rental comparison site ChooseDVDRental.co.uk, the price comparison site that compares 160+ UK DVD Rental packages and helps you find the best one, including the best DVD rental free trials.

The first thing to remember when buying an umbrella is this, a good umbrella will do what it is intended to do, for many years. For instance, a common golf umbrella has a 64" or 68" arc. That is not the umbrella you can carry in your purse! On the other hand, a folding compact umbrella (about 9" long) will not fare well out on the golf course. Are you looking for convenience, durability or fashion? Know what and where your umbrella is going to be used before you begin your shopping. One of my favorite quotes I first heard from Stephen Covey works great with shopping for your rain umbrella; "Begin with the end in mind."

Spring time brings out some of our favorite clothing. Umbrellas can be a true fashion statement with many of these beautiful outfits and can also be used to protect them from the damaging affects of rain. Most umbrella websites will offer a wide selection of colors and sizes. Be sure to determine the size of the folded umbrella and the size of the arc before spending much time on the colors. If you need a compact umbrella to fit in your purse, then you will want an umbrella that folds down to 9" or less. The smallest umbrellas are manual. Automatic open umbrellas are about 8" or larger.

So make some decisions, compact, manual, stick or folding? If you want to cover more than one person, then you will want at least a 56" arc. A few umbrellas even provide automatic open and automatic close options. Once you decide on the size and style, now the big question, what color?

Let me tell you, there are lots and lots of colors to choose from when it comes time to buy your rain umbrella. Every style umbrella will have different color options. What you see in one style, may not be available in another. So if color is important, you may need to shop around to find the color you want in the style you desire.

April showers are coming. You are not going to stop the rain from coming, so look around and see if you can find your rain umbrellas. Do you have the right umbrella for every occasion? Did you get a new purse or a new jacket for Christmas? Does your current umbrella match? Did your kids use your umbrella for a hockey goal this winter and now it won't even open up? Look around, and make sure this spring you will look good and stay dry. Shop at my favorite store, Umbrellas And B and find the right umbrella for every occasion.

Jim Rowland is the creator of Umbrellas And B This website offers Rain Umbrellas for sale with a huge selection of brands, styles and colors. Visit us at

Why Bother With the Box Office?

Every once in a while I read the box office stats. Why? To see if any movie has come close to topping Star Wars as the highest grossing movie off all time. My trust in the box office was firm adn secure until 1997 when Titanic blew everything away and became (and still is) the highest grossing box office movie of all time. What did this mean? Was my world shattered because Star Wars was defeated according to Box Office Mojo? Hardly. All it meant was that people went in huge numbers to see Leonardo DiCaprio while Star Wars continues to be the greatest cinematic experience of all time. The box office make no judgement on movies, it just tells us which movies people are going to see.

But it does affect what people see. That's the catch. If a movie has a high gross at the box office people will perceive it as being good and more will go and see the movie. There are plenty of examples where this is true. the opening weekend for Spiderman 3 was huge and people continued to go see it. The film had more of a run than it should have had because the box office (although not a person) compelled people to go see it. "It must be good because it's a blockbuster!" people would say. Sadly, the movie was poor and if the box office had accurately reflected the picture's quality, the franchise would be in trouble. But the people came, so another movie is sure to follow

What Can We Really Learn from the Box Office?

Movies and the Hollywood industry continue to fascinate us (mostly North Americans but people around the world are being sucked into it's vortex) and the box office is a fun way to track what trends in film are popular. So you can see how reading the box office gross numbers could benefit enyone related to the film industry. Writers, merchandisers, set designers, for example, should keep a close eye on the box office and see what types of movies are doing well at present and what have done well in the past. So the box office can be a valuable research tool for people interested in gaging popular viewing opinions.

The website below contains more articles to help you learn a bit more about the box office. If you love movies new or old, it's always fun to go through the box office stats and see just how much money was spent at the movie theater. Sometimes it's reassuring that good movies are being seen by lots of people. Sometimes you'll be left scratching your head and wondering, "Why'd they go see that?"

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The joys of having a new baby can sometimes be overshadowed by post natal or post partum depression. Post natal depression is commonly known as "the baby blues." It is said to be triggered by hormonal changes after a baby is born. Its symptoms include depression, tearfulness, low self esteem, low self confidence, guilt feelings, insomnia, low appetite, low sex drive and in extreme cases, self destruction.

While serious bouts of depression may require appropriate medication under the guidance of a doctor, it is best to deal with post natal depression the natural way. The following are stress busting tips that you, too, could use to battle the baby blues:

Start and maintain a gratitude journal.

When you're feeling blue, all you'll want is to be by yourself. This may be the best time to pull out a nice clean notebook and to start a journal. Maintaining a journal is a time-tested practice that yields wondrous results for the author. While you may use your journal for letting all your negative emotions out on writing, do make a conscious effort to cite the things that are positive in your life. Happy thoughts can uplift your mood.

Be thankful for the big or small things that make you happy. They remind you that your current situation is just a small event in your life that will inevitably pass. For every bad feeling that starts to creep in, battle it with a happy thought over something that you are thankful for.

Face your situation knowing that you shall be over the hump soon.

The strain you are experiencing now is a result of major adjustments that must be made before things achieve a normal and stable state. Mothers eventually get more hours of sleep as their babies learn to sleep through the night. You, too, will gradually find more and more packets of free time to do some leisurely reading or catching up with old hobbies that you may have left behind.

As your baby grows older, you will experience more joy in being able to play or talk with your baby. Things will lighten up slowly at home after your adjustment period. Life may never be the same again for us mothers, but we do get our lives back on track in time.

Move your body.

Moderate amounts of exercise are known to lift one's mood. When the body is set in motion, feel-good chemicals called "endorphins" are released into your system. This is the reason why children who run around appear to be "hyper" or excited. Cardiovascular or aerobic exercises are common ways to release endorphins and adrenaline. Adrenaline is what makes your body feel energized. A ten-minute routine can produce immediate effects.

Try brisk-walking or hip-hop dancing. Alternatively, there is the low-impact activity of stretching. A few minutes of comfortable stretching from your shoulders to your feet contribute to a feeling of general well-being.

Develop some circuit breakers

Circuit breakers are typically known as mechanical systems for damage control. The same principle can be applied in a human situation. Notice how bad luck may seem to come in a series of events? The same holds true for stress. A bad start in the morning somehow sets the trend for the rest of the day. Sometimes, being tired and feeling low prevent you from doing things right.

If you feel that nothing seems to go your way today, stop right there and put on your circuit breaker. Break a seemingly bad cycle by downshifting or dropping some errands in the meantime.

Your set of circuit breakers should include easy things like stepping out to get some sunshine, reading a few pages of a good book, having a leisurely chat on the phone with a supportive friend, listening to your favorite music or having a bubble bath. Everyone has her own set of circuit breakers. Make a list of what works for you. The short activities that you resort to once in a while may spell the difference between having a bad day and a good day.

Try meditation

Meditation was originally practiced as a way of understanding the mystic forces of life. Its earlier concepts were related to philosophy and even religion. The states of bliss attained by its earlier proponents paved the way for the application of meditation as a stress-reduction technique.

Nowadays, one does not have to be a yogi to practice meditation. Anyone can meditate anywhere. You can learn it under the guidance of a trained instructor or simply follow an instructional video at home.

While not all mothers may experience post natal depression, getting the baby blues is not a sign of weakness nor should it be taken against you. Post natal depression happens to the best of us. Instead of wallowing in self pity and depression, deal with the blues by recognizing it when it strikes.

If you follow the five self help measures regularly, you'll get past this phase even before you realize it. Until then, hang in there and remind yourself constantly that as in all life changing events, this, too, shall pass.

Salena Kulkarni is the creator of the 'Secrets of Extraordinary New Moms' program, which helps new moms feel energized, get back in shape, eliminate emotional overwhelm, and experience fulfillment in 30 days or less! Visit www.NewMommyM to get your FREE audio now.

What is the underlying cause of all fear? It's that you can't handle whatever life puts in your path. It's that simple. If you believe you can deal with anything that comes along, fear fades to the background. The greater your trust in your ability to manage what comes your way, the less fear you will experience. What that translates to is that the better you feel about yourself, the easier it is to face your fears and move through them. The result is that you don't have to control anything in your external world to overcome fear! Instead, look at where the lack of trust in yourself originates: the beliefs you have adopted from others in your life, and from your own past experiences.

It's a good thing to know how something works and why. However, what's more important than knowing where your lack of trust came from is knowing how to develop more confidence in handling anything that comes your way. What we want to focus on right now is how to gain more courage so that choosing from a place of fear is no longer necessary.

When there is fear keeping you from making changes in your life, your body will have the feeling of being closed because you are listening to the parasitic mind and its story, instead of trusting and staying open to the possibilities.

How do you know when your fear is in control? Look at your life. If there's struggle, there's fear at some level. You might have to peel back layers of belief to discover the source of your worry, but trust us, fear is the root of all your conflicts. The struggle comes when you are not truly living in the moment, when you are caught up in the past or the future. Either you are looking back with regret and concern about something you did, or you are looking forward with anxiety about what might happen in the future. Either way you are not present. When you are not in the moment, you are by default stuck in a place of fear. This keeps you out of the flow of life, resulting in struggle and lack, and oftentimes paralysis.

So, what can you do to regain trust in your self? You build trust in small cycles: Belief causes Action causes Results; Bigger Belief causes Bigger Action with Bigger Results. First you have an idea, then you create a plan of action, then you take the first step. Everything else will be dependent on each step, and that's all you have to focus on to be truly in the moment. When something works, take another step. If you have a setback, learn from what didn't work and try it a different way the next time. Every time you give up, you lose more of your self-trust. It's not the boogieman out there that has a death-grip on your reality; it's the parasitic mind and the fear it creates that is in control.

Even if you can't remember a recent time of facing your fears, you have a lot of experience in this area. As an infant and young child, your willingness to face your fears was necessary to your very survival. Have you ever observed a child learning to walk? They fall frequently. Do they curl up in a ball and decide not to try again? No! They try it again and again until they finally take that first step. Then you can't slow them down. When they start moving faster, they usually fall down again. This is how each one of us learned to walk, then to run. It's the same as you take steps to face your fears. Win or lose, taking action is a success. With each success, you will begin to taste what it feels like to have more and more self-confidence. There will be times when what you have to do will be extremely uncomfortable. And sometimes what you do won't work. When that happens, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again, just like when you were a child.

Fear is an innate part of our survival. In early human development it was necessary to keep from being swallowed by saber-tooth tigers and other dangers. This instinctual fear still keeps us safe from real harm, arising during in-the-moment reactions. That's a good thing. However, when fear is used by the parasitic mind as a way to control your actions, it becomes the main armor of protection blocking your energy centers. If you pay attention, you can feel its relentless grip on your body, tensing your muscles if the fear is slight, or causing illness and distress when it is more chronic or more pronounced. Your body is always the best indicator for the level of fear you are allowing to come into your life. Pay attention to its messages and you will begin to see how much fear you are carrying.

As your confidence grows, you will notice that fear never really goes away completely, because each time you expand your zone of comfort, you will face new uncertainty. As long as you continue to grow, you will continue to feel fear. As you stretch yourself, taking new risks, you learn to stop waiting for the fear to go away before you take chances. You know what it feels like, you accept that the fear exists, and you know you can move through it.

Marilyn Schwader uses a unique blend of technology, e-commerce, communication, and spirituality to help her writing coaching clients create and market their work. To find more of her tips, resources, and a schedule of her webinars, teleclasses, and retreats, visit

This article addresses five areas of spending that in my experience can determine the health of your household finances. On one hand, they can be a detriment if addressed incorrectly. And on the other, if handled correctly, they can be a source of extra funds for your family.

1. Shopping Blunders

The first mistake many moms make is shopping when we are hungry or bored. For a mom with small children, a shopping trip may be one of the few outings we get in a week. And it is at these times we browse the store more, and buy more. The other scenario is that we shop hungry. You go in the store with a concise practical list and come out with a buggy full of snacks. Eating a snack before you leave the house can help curb this tendency. Another mistake is impulse buying. Really think about the things you buy, and whether or not you need the item. Will it end up in next spring's garage sale? If so, you might want to reconsider the purchase. Avoiding these blunders can add up to big dollars for your family each month or each year.

2. Paying Bills Late

A lot of people may consider paying their bills late no big deal. Or, if you are like me you are terribly disorganized and have a tendency of forgetting until the next day. However, most companies charge late fees for each time you pay a bill late. Do yourself a favor and buy a bill organizer. Also, paying bills late can equal lower credit scores. This is a double whammy, because you will pay a higher interest rate on top of those fees. Over the course of a year, paying your bills on time can add up big time for your family.

3. Eating Out

Because we live such hectic lives, eating out can be a welcome respite for a weary mom. But avoid the temptation to eat out too often. Try to limit "eat out" nights to one or two nights a week (or less if you can). For a family of four, a trip to a mid-priced restaurant can cost upwards of $40 to $50 dollars once you count in the tip. Try cooking at home most nights to save big money. If you are pressed for time, make use of a slow cooker or a programmable oven.

4. Debt

Most of us have debt...there's nothing surprising about that. There are typically two types of debt: secured and unsecured. Basically secured debt is something that can be sold for near value of the debt (like a house or a car). Unsecured debt is debt that is not tied to any property ( like credit cards or student loans). Both can be used for good or bad. An example of good secured debt is a first time home buyer buying a home well in their budget, but a bad example is a person buying more house than they can afford. A good example of unsecured debt is a credit card used for needs and paid off each month to raise a credit score (but most of us are very weak in this area), or a student loan used for an education that will well pay it off or be worth it to the student. Contrary to popular belief, a student loan is not always a good use of unsecured debt. Credit cards are the biggest problem for most families. They are great to have for emergencies, but can be a budget killer when used for non needs items. The balance seems to slowly climb and before you know it you are in deep debt. So to avoid this, think before you swipe. Ask yourself, "Is this item a need at this very moment in time?" and "Is there any other way to pay for this?". By avoiding this pitfall, you do your family and your budget a world of good. Also pay down high interest debt first. Pay minimum on the lower ones, and pool your resources to pay off the high one first. Then after it is paid off you move on to the next one and so on. This is the best proven way to pay down unsecured debt.

5. Unexpected Events

You may have false security that if something unforeseen happens and someone in your family ends up hospitalized, you will be fine because you have insurance. Well, think again. Usually there is a deductible ($500.00 for instance), and you must also consider that 20% and those sneaky things that aren't covered. Also consider meals and needs for the family while the family member is hospitalized and their medications once they are discharged. A lot of people have been told that if you owe a hospital money, they have to by law accept any payment from you no matter how small without collecting. This couldn't be more wrong. A hospital will send you a bill and you have two options. One is that you pay your balance in full right then and there. The other is that you call the billing department to set up payments, and the amount is determined by them and will not be small. Other unexpected events can be replacing appliances, vehicle repairs, and other household repairs. Make sure you have a source for emergency funds. Now, I realize that most of us just don't have it in our budget to save for emergencies all the time. You can take the money you saved from the other tips to save up, or just have a low interest credit card you can use if something happens (keep locked away unless it is an emergency). Your diligence in providing a way to pay for emergencies will more than pay off in the considerable amount of stress you will save you and your family.

Sarah is a stay-at-home mom and devoted wife whose interests include music, writing, theology, learning, and spending time with family. She is a true southern belle hailing from the great state of Mississippi.