Why am I still single?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? Are you still waiting for Mr. or Mrs. Right to come into your life? You may think that you don’t have any control over the situation, but you actually play a large role in meeting the man or woman of your dreams.

Here are six possible reasons why you haven’t found them yet and why you’re still single.

1. You aren’t meeting new people

There comes a time when dating largely becomes a numbers game. The more single people you meet, the more likely you are to land a date and eventually hit it off with someone. If you aren’t meeting new people very often—or ever—then your chances of staying single will be greater.

Fix this by expanding your social circle. Go out to happy hour with colleagues or attend that wedding stag. Try out a new Meetup group or speed dating through an online dating site. The more people you meet, the more chances you will have of landing some dates.

See Also: 5 Tips for Effective Online Dating

2. You’re too picky

It’s just right to be choosy and selective when deciding to commit to a relationship. But, if someone asks you on a date—and they aren’t exactly your type—go anyway.

Dating a variety of individuals will expose you to different personalities and help you realize the qualities you most want in a future partner. You may find out that some traits are more important to you than you thought.

Dating will also help you get more confident and comfortable with the opposite sex. After one date, if you still aren’t feeling it, then you don’t have to go out with them again, but at least you gave it a shot and got some good experience.

3. You think all the good ones are taken

You see your best friend with a great catch and are thrilled for him. You are so happy your sister finally found someone so wonderful. But it makes you think all the good men (or women) are taken and that there’s no one left for you.

There are millions of single people in this world and a lot of them are really great. Give people a chance to show you their awesomeness. Just because a few good fish are taken, doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty other ones in the sea.

4. You’re so into yourself

Relationships require a lot of give and take from both parties. Don’t expect someone else to put all the effort in while you give nothing in return. If you are constantly thinking about your wants and needs, then maybe you aren’t ready to be in a relationship. Until you are prepared to care for someone else and put their needs above your own, live the single life.

5. You don’t put yourself out there

Dating involves risk and rejection, and while it’s scary and can be painful to be vulnerable, it’s necessary to have a healthy, intimate relationship. Your future partner is not going to just show up at your front door one day. You have to talk with strangers and ask people out. You need to be approachable and friendly in order for people to want to date you.

Think about your body language when you are out with friends. Is it open and inviting? Or closed off to the world? Being aware of simple things and making changes will make you more approachable.

See Also: 10 Ways to Make a Good First Impression 

6. You’re too negative

Do you feel the need to win every argument? Are you always putting others down? Do you complain about every little thing at that restaurant you just went to?

People in general tend to like being with positive personalities. Misery loves company, but it will be a long time before someone loves you if you’re always negative. Try looking at the positive side of things, especially when out on a date. Smile often, compliment your date, relax and try to enjoy yourself.

7. You’re desperate

There are few bigger turn offs than desperation. Be careful not to have your desire for a partner come across in a negative way. Some people make the mistake of getting too far ahead of themselves and are already planning the wedding before even having the first date.

Watch out for your baggage from past relationships and personal insecurities. Don’t let it sneak out and give you the wrong expectation of having this new interest fix all your problems. Keep your desperation in check and start off with just looking to become friends.

It’s not a bad thing to be single, but if you’re looking for love and it just hasn’t come your way, then hopefully one of the items on this list resonates with you. Some of them are simple fixes and will be easy enough to change. Others may require deeper soul-searching as you figure out what kind of person you are and who you want to attract.

 

The post 6 Reasons Why You’re Still Single appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2dUCWi6

It’s no secret that smoking is bad for your health, but did you know that it negatively affects many other important aspects of your life, too? It’s true. Lighting up harms a shocking number of things, from your future earning potential to your relationships, the environment and even your pets.

Here are four little-known ways that smoking hurts more than just your lungs.

Smokers Earn 20% Less Than Non-Smokers

Research shows that people who smoke earn 20% less than people who DON’T smoke. This is a lot and translates to around $10,000 worth of loss of income per year!

Now that $10K doesn’t even factor in the cost of cigarettes which costs a pack-a-day smoker an average of $2,193 a year. This “smoker’s wage gap” is significant, but few are aware of it. A study conducted by Truth Initiative revealed that 88% of young adults aged 15-25 years old were ignorant of this wage gap.

If you’re a current smoker, or are tempted to try it in the future, think of all the things—and awesome experiences with friends—you sacrifice by spending and losing your dough on cigs.

Smokers Are Viewed As Less Attractive Than Non-Smokers

Can posting a smoking pic take you from a “10” to a “2”?

Researchers looked into the data from online dating apps and discovered that profile photos showing a person smoking get almost twice as many “left swipes” or declines when compared to photos not showing any sign of smoking.

A well-known youth tobacco prevention campaign called Truth released a humorous yet eye-opening music video titled “Left Swipe Dat”. The music video showed why these smoking profile photos were getting rejections on social media and online dating sites.

Pets With Owners Who Smoke Are Twice As Likely To Get Cancer

Secondhand smoke doesn’t just harm people. It extends to our beloved furry friends as well.

This is an issue near and dear to the hearts of the majority of us as approximately 60% of millennial households own pets. Truth released a video earlier this year that brought this fact to life by illustrating the unthinkable: a world without cats and thus an Internet without cat videos.

The message is a serious one: smoking equals no cats; no cats equals no cat videos. #CATmageddon. If your own health isn’t reason enough to stay away from cigs, consider your innocent, furry BFF’s health.

See Also: 8 Tips for Coping with Pet Loss

4.5 Trillion Cigarette Butts Are Littered Worldwide Each Year

Did you know, cigarettes are the most littered item on earth? Now think of all the chemicals coming out of these cigarette butts seeping into the Earth and poisoning living things and micro-organisms. Another reason we need to end smoking – to help Mother Earth.

The current state of tobacco use and how you can get involved

Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in this country. Almost half-a-million Americans will die from tobacco-related causes this year, and one in three youth smokers will eventually die from tobacco-related diseases.

truth, the award winning youth tobacco prevention campaign, uses surprising, important facts about the unexpected impact of tobacco use to rally this generation of teens to end tobacco use for good.

Teen cigarette use is down to a historic low of 7 percent (down from 23 percent in 2000) and truth remains committed to the cause until the rate is zero.

To enlist in the fight to end smoking for good, visit thetruth.com or follow @truthorange on Twitter.

See Also: 16 Essential Tips for Quitting Smoking

 

The post 4 Surprising Ways Tobacco Use Is Harming More than Your Health appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2esm041

I have been called the “World’s Laziest Obsessive-Compulsive” and it’s a pretty accurate assessment. All my life, I’ve looked for shortcuts and easier ways to do things. For years, I’ve collected tips, tricks and MacGyver-esque hacks to do everything easier, faster, better and cheaper.

Here, I’ll share my collection of really useful things you can do with a simple tube of lip balm.

1. Earwax Upgrade

According to Wikipedia, back in the 1840s, Lydia Maria Child recommended earwax as a treatment for cracked lips in her popular book, The American Frugal Housewife.

Child observed that, ” It is one of those sorts of cures, which are very likely to be laughed at; but I know of its having produced very beneficial results.”

I imagine that the beneficial results did NOT include people wanting to kiss you. Or perhaps even be around you.

So, the first smart use for lip balm is to save you from smearing earwax on your mouth.

Here are 30 more…

2. Fix Shaving Nicks

Dab a bit of unflavored lip balm on a razor cut to close the wound and stop the bleeding. Note: A serious cut requires more serious attention.

3. Soothe Other Wounds

Paper cuts can be surprisingly painful. Stop the sting with a dab of unflavored lip balm. Cracked, winter-dried fingertips can also be soothed with a layer of balm.

4. Cuticle Cream Stand-In

Are your cracked cuticles bothering you? Soften up split cuticles with lip balm. Rub some on before bed and you’ll see improvement by the time you wake up in the morning.

5. Wipe Out Nose Irritation

The area around your nose can get dry and irritated from frequent wiping and blowing during a cold. To fix, wash your hands and apply some unscented lip balm on the affected area with your finger.

Don’t use the lip balm directly on your skin to avoid spreading germs and infecting your tube of lip balm.

6. Balm Away Flyaway Hair

If your hair is unruly because of static electricity or maybe a bad hair day, swipe your fingers over your lip balm and gently smooth flyaway hair back into place.

See Also: 7 Hair and Makeup Looks to Try This Week 

7. Eye Cream Alternative

Looking like a raccoon with those dark circles under your eyes? Lip balm can substitute for eye cream to counter baggy and puffy eyes. Rub some on a clean finger and gently daub under your eyes.

8. Tame Rebellious Brows

Got a wild hair in your eyebrow? A dab of lip balm on your finger can smooth it back into place.

9. Erase Mascara Smudge

It’s a good idea to have a tube of lip balm in your purse during nights out. If your mascara smudges, a bit of lip balm on a Q-tip can easily do the trick. And it won’t affect any foundation or makeup underneath.

10. Prevent Shoe Blisters

Have you ever gotten blisters from new or ill-fitting shoes? If your shoe is rubbing and causing irritation, you can minimize the friction – and hold a blister at bay – by applying a layer of lip balm to the area.

11. Help When Hair-dying

If you’ve ever seen folks dye their hair at home, you’d have noticed that the scalp around the hairline sometimes get dyed too and it’s a bit of an eyesore. To avoid this fashion no-no, apply a layer of lip balm around your hairline to keep the dye from coloring your skin too.

12. Keep Fragrance from Fading

It’s quite disappointing when your favorite scent evaporates easily. To make a scent last longer, rub a bit of balm on your pulse points before you spray. This will lock the fragrance in and keep it from dissipating too fast.

Lip balm works because it is occlusive. It absorbs and holds fragrances compared to if you just sprayed it straight onto your dry skin.

13. Beat Bug Bite Itch

Are the bed bugs biting? Bed bug bites are no joke. Block the air (and the itch) from a bug bite with a dab of lip balm.

14. Windblocker

Lip balm, applied to your cheeks, nose and forehead, can serve as an effective windburn preventer in harsh, cold weather. It keeps the cold air from directly harming the sensitive skin of your face.

15. Instant Eye Gloss

No surprise here. Lip balm can be used for a beauty hack. Mix a little unflavored lip balm with your favorite eye shadow to make a dewy eye gloss. It’s a great beauty trick with hardly any cost.

16. Shine Dull Skin

If you’re having a rough day and it’s showing on your face, dab a line of lip balm along your cheekbones. It will put a shine on your cheeks and make you look dewy and healthy.

See Also: 6 Vitamin-Packed Smoothie Recipes for Glowing Skin 

17. Handy Hand Lotion Substitute

If you accidentally forgot your hand lotion at home or you’ve simply run out, lip balm can be a substitute. Spread some lip balm on dry patches of skin. Rub hands together to warm them up and make the balm spread better.

18. Unstick Your Zip

It’s happened to all of us — getting the zip of our jeans stuck. Hopefully, you were out of them when it happened.

Some folks run a candle through the zip but you can also use lip balm. Simply spread some on the zipper’s teeth. This will lubricate the stuck parts and help the zipper slide more easily.

19. Tie Up Loose Shoestrings

Are your kids’ shoelaces getting untied too often? To help shoelaces stay securely tied, rub lip balm on them. The wax will provide friction that will keep them from coming apart.

20. Shoe Shine Substitute

For a quick polish, rub some lip balm on your shoes and buff them to a shine with a dry cloth. Nobody will be able to tell the difference.

21. Ring Removal Solution

Is a ring stuck in your finger? Apart from soapy water or lotion, you can also use lip balm to provide lubration. Simply dab on the offending ring and affected finger and steadily apply pressure on the ring until it comes off.

22. Clean and Defog Glasses

One down side of glasses is how they can fog up in warm or cold weather (or when you’re drinking soup!). A handy trick is to coat the lens of your glasses with lip balm and then polishing with a cloth. This will keep your glasses from fogging up.

23. Remove Sticker Gunk

Remember that gunk that gets left behind on stuff when you remove stickers and price tags? It’s very annoying and it ruins the look of a perfectly new item. It’s hard to get out just by rubbing it off with a finger too.

Instead, apply a layer of lip balm on the offending sticker gunk. Wait 10 minutes, then wipe away the lip balm and dissolved residue.

24. Lubricate Drawers and Windows

Apply lip balm to the tracks of sticky drawers and windows to get them to open and shut more easily. This hack is good for anything with tracks and sliders.

25. Rust-proof Exterior Bulbs

Outdoor lights exposed to the elements have a tendency to rust. To keep this from happening, coat the threads of light bulbs with lip balm before twisting into place. The balm will provide a waterproof seal that will hold off rust, and will make the bulb much easier to unscrew when it needs to be replaced.

26. Keep Knives and Other Tools from Rusting

Knives and tools may rust especially if left unused for long periods of time. Rub lip balm onto the blades of knifes or onto scissors, clippers – whatever you want to protect from oxidation.

27. Sink Nails and Screws Easier

Coat nails with a little lip balm to keep them from splitting wood when hammered in. A dab on screws helps them go in easier.

28. Protect a Pet’s Paws

Winter ice, snow and salt can cause irritation to your pet’s paws. Put some lip balm on the pads of your pet’s paws before they go outside to protect them.

29. Repair a Scratched CD

Do you want to listen to an old CD but it’s scratched? No worries. Apply a little lip balm over the scratched area to keep it from skipping.

30. MacGuyver a Candle

In a pinch, you can open a lip balm container and insert a match stick into the wax. The matchstick will absorb the wax from the lip balm and keep a flame burning for a little while.

 

 

 

The post 30 Brilliant Uses for Lip Balm appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2eKPRrB

Most people love to talk about how many friends they have or how social they are. If you ask how many of those same friends care about them, people aren’t as comfortable talking about that.

It’s nice to believe that you can meet someone once and then call them a friend. But meeting someone once is not always a sign that you can rely on them to care about you.

The world is a big place and everyone is just doing their best to make sure that their needs are satisfied. It isn’t easy to think about other people when your main goal is to look out for yourself.

People have different desires and wants. You’re not always going to be their top priority, and you might not even be someone that they want to know. When you met them, they might have just wanted to be social, or they wanted to speak to someone else but they couldn’t.

You might be hit with this fact when you are in a tough part of your life and you are looking for people to support you, but you realize that you don’t have many people to turn to, if any at all. It’s often said that it’s better to have a small circle of close friends than a large amount of friends you barely know.

So how do you know who cares about you?

Define What “Care” Means First

In order to know who cares about you, you actually have to define what caring about you means.
This sounds obvious, but just as everyone has different wants and needs, everyone’s definition of care will differ.

Do you want friends who enjoy being in your company or friends who support you in your struggles? Do you want friends who are there for you when you are upset or friends who can always be counted on for help when you need it?

There’s no right or wrong answer for what a caring friend is. But if you never define what you’re looking for, no one is going to fit that definition, and thus you won’t ever be satisfied.

See Also: The ABC of an Epic Friendship: 26 Simple Ways To Be the Best Friend Ever

Start By Talking To A Small Group Of Friends

With your definition, you can now start seeing which friends do care about you. Start small and talk to a few friends first.

Don’t start asking every single friend if they care about you. That’ll just worry them that you’re letting insecurity and paranoia affect your thought processes. Plan to talk to a few friends first so that you can establish a friend base for yourself and feel more confident.

Look At The Friends That Talk To You First

Out of all the friends that you know in the group, who are the friends that approach you for a conversation first?

This shouldn’t be taken lightly. Anyone that approaches you for a conversation on a consistent basis is doing their best to be a part of your life. This is someone making the effort to reach out to you, something people would not do unless they geniunely thought about you and your well being.

Look At The Conversations You Have

Now it’s time to look at the main factors. Do you enjoy the conversations that you have with a friend? Are they extremely short and brief? Or does it look like one person doesn’t want your friendship, but wants something else from you?

This isn’t going to be easy, and you’re going to have to be as honest as you can. As much as you want to believe some people could be great friends, if you haven’t been having nice conversations with them, or if you barely speak to each other, this isn’t a person who is likely to care.

What Have Your Friends Done For You?

People act for the people they care about. It’s that simple.

Think about the people who have talked with you when you were sad, about people who went out of their way to do something for you, or people who invited you out to do something. If someone takes time out of their schedule to make time for you, that’s a sign that a person cares about you. After all, it’s easy to receive, but hard to give.

What Have Your Friends Asked Of You?

Good relationships are all about reciprocal giving. If you have felt the need to be kind to your friends and help them, that’s great.

How about things that friends have asked you to do for them? Have they been reasonable? Have your friends ever asked you to do something that made you feel uncomfortable, or something that was against your values? Did they respect you as a person, or is their respect fragile?

There’s nothing wrong with friends asking favors from each other, and in fact, it’s good to help a friend out. The last thing you want however, is a friend making you do things that you’re not comfortable doing, or a friend whose respect is only earned if you do something for or with them.

Those aren’t people who care about you, they just want you to fit in or else they don’t care about you.

Have They Followed Through With Promises?

If you’ve made any agreements or promises, it’s good to think back to friends who have actually stayed true to their words and proved to be trustworthy individuals. After all, there are people who promise things, but since they don’t care much about a person, they care very little about actually fulfilling that promise. That’s not a sign of someone who cares about you.

Be strict with this here, because it’s easy for people to think “Well, something special happened”. That’s not to say there aren’t special cases where promises just couldn’t be kept, but events like that should be a rarity, rather than an occurring theme.

Sort Out Your Friends, Then Repeat

You should have a good idea about who cares about you, and who doesn’t. Put the people who care about you first, and the people who don’t care behind you.

Sort through all of your friends in the same manner. Go through all the criteria. Don’t be afraid to be harsh. Chances are, if they never cared much about you, they aren’t going to care that you don’t think of them as a friend.

It’s not about you viciously cutting away at friendships, but considering who are the most important people in your life, and who you are going to put first. After all, if you know who cares about you, you know who you can turn to, and not have to wonder who you can trust.

Enjoy The People Who Care About You

Once you’ve found people who care about you, you will have established a personal criteria for the people you are looking for. You have people who care about you, and you now know how to find out if someone really does have your best interests at heart.

See Also: Why You Need to Get Out and Meet Your Friends 

There’s nothing better than going home at night and knowing that you are surrounded by people who care about you. Life’s too long to not know whp’s got your back, and if you know where to find people that care about you, your life is just going to get even better.

 

The post How To Know Which People Truly Care About You appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2e9JeNR

Every woman dreams of a life with a perfect husband who will sweep her off her feet into a magical world of love and romance. She fantasizes an ideal husband who will be both ideal life partner and best friend.

To be truthful, it is not only difficult but impossible to find a man possessing all the qualities a wife wishes for. But if a husband makes an effort, he can go a long way in improving his relationship with his wife and live more peacefully and happily as a result.

Here’s the things you need on how to be a good husband.

Trust & understanding

Trust is the main quality on which all relationships are based. A good husband needs to trust his wife immensely to make their bond stronger.

In fact, both the husband and wife need to be understanding and truthful to each other if they want to make their relationship into a bed of roses. Should any misunderstanding arise, each one should try communicate with the other while setting ego aside.

See Also: 5 Ways to Get What You Want in Your Relationship

Always be faithful to your wife

Faithfulness is the biggest factor in a relationship. Being faithful to each other will help to make your relationship a happy and a long lasting one.

This does not mean that a husband is not allowed to mingle with other women, but he should neither lie nor cheat on his wife. A wife should be at ease and not suspect the worst when her husband goes for a night out with his friends.

Dependable and supportive

A good husband should support his wife in good times as well as bad, guiding and supporting her decisions whether personal or professional. She should also be able to depend on her husband whenever she requires help whether it is just grocery shopping or planning a big event together.

Possess a good sense of humor

A man with a good sense of humor is definitely a great asset making his wife laugh all the time and keeping their relationship fresh and healthy. Sharing jokes and having a good laugh with your better half is great fun and will help to add some spark to your daily life.

Pamper and spend time with your wife

Women love to be pampered so a husband who pampers his wife can never go wrong. Besides remembering birthdays and anniversaries and giving gifts, small gestures like bringing flowers for her occasionally, writing love notes, singing songs and dancing with her to her favorite tunes can all bring a smile to her face.

All these actions will make her realize how thoughtful you are. It might even make her fall for you all over again.

Taking an interest in her hobbies is also a good idea. You can do gardening, or do early morning walks together. These little things mean a lot to women and gives them a sense of belonging and a feeling of being loved. Even little things such as helping with the house work will score you big points as she can appreciate how you make an effort to take some load off her shoulders.

See Also: 4 Original Ways to Be Romantic in the Digital Age 

Be respectful and be a man of principle

All women like their husbands to be sweet, endearing and chivalrous. Opening doors for her, pulling out a chair, or taking her out for a date are things all wives appreciate and love.

Being respectful, however independent she might be, is an act of understanding. Keeping your promises, coming on time, or picking up the kids from school are excellent ways to show your respect for her time.

Another way to respect her is to actually listen to what she has to say instead of pretending to do so. There will be times when she needs a listening ear or a shoulder she can lean on so be there for her.

Never raise your voice

A good husband will never raise his voice or physically abuse his wife however bad the circumstances may be. Always keep your cool and reason out with your wife and never let emotions get the better of you.

All of the above go both ways for both husband and wife.  However, some men may focus solely on work or on other things outside of the family. If you want a happy and peaceful family life, learn how to be a good husband and see how your life becomes easier henceforth.

 

The post How to be a Good Husband to Make Your Life a Bed of Roses appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2e3PTYj

Are you looking for ways to save money? Let me share my fashion hacks with you.

I have spent most of my life crafting ways to cut corners. I am your normal girl. I like fashion and beauty products just as much as the next person, but it’s not always possible to look like the beauties on TV.

First of all, let’s be real here. I’m not tall enough to pull off some of those ridiculous runway trends.

I have come to terms with my “short girl” status and actually embrace it. Sure, I want to look good. Who doesn’t? But my teaching salary doesn’t necessarily leave me with an abundance of cash floating around to spend on the “funsies”.

Here are a few savvy hacks that I use on the regular to balance my love for all things girly AND save myself from overspending.

Hair

I have always been told that I have great hair. No, I’m not bragging. I just hear this a lot.

So here’s my first confession. I am a bit of a hair product snob. Yes, really. It has been years since I’ve used a supermarket brand shampoo or conditioner. Salon quality products really are much healthier for your luscious locks. And if you use them consistently, you really do see a difference in the overall health and appearance of your hair.

In case you’re confused as to what this has to do with saving money, keep reading. If you love salon products as much as I do, you have to be stealthy. BOGO deals are your friend.

Yassss! Keep a watchful eye on the sale ads for your favorite products. The upcoming holidays are an excellent time to stock up!

And buy the liter sizes, not the teeny tiny bottles! I generally swoop in a couple times a year when I see advertisements for “buy one get one” products that I love.

Buy two or three of each! I don’t know about you, but 2 or 3 liters of my very favorites will last most of the year.

See Also: 7 Hair and Makeup Looks to Try This Week

Make-up

This one is important! Are you paying attention?

My love for topnotch hair products sometimes overflows into the make-up aspect of my life as well. As a former make-up consultant in my college days, I can tell you that the concept of quality applies here, too. Sort of.

When it comes to skin care and foundations – use the good stuff. I love a good skin care system. However, you can some really good products at the local drug stores as well.

My point is, you are your best asset! Especially those of you out here in the cyber realm trying to make a name for yourself. The entrepreneurial world is on fire right now! Appearances DO matter. Don’t feel guilty about purchasing a product that is going to boost your confidence and potentially make your skin look better!

Now, hold the phone. Here’s the money saver: when it comes to color –eyeshadows, blushes, bronzers, lips, liners – it’s just color. Any old brand will do. You don’t need to worry about your skin if you’re treating it well and using a good quality foundation. The colors you add to your face are like paint on a primed wall. You can go cheap!

See Also: 7 Easy Steps To Aging Skin Repair

Clothes

Take inventory of your closet with every season change. We all tend to forget about certain pieces that we have hanging up. Or maybe something has fallen behind the dresser or off the hanger.

Comb through your items. Sometimes this alone is enough to keep me from going out and spending exorbitant amounts of money on new things, because “oh yeah” I’ve already got something similar.

Here’s a ninja trick I have put into use just this week. Don’t put your cute skinny jean capris away for the winter. It’s the start of tall boot season, people! No one is going to know that the jeans you have on are actually capris if you’re wearing boots up to your knees.

Ta-da! I just saved you from going out to buy a few pairs of pants.

Lastly, when it comes to clothes, if you just HAVE to have a new something – do not be ashamed to look somewhere other than an overpriced boutique. Honest Abe, there are some really cute lines of clothing now at the local mainline stores.

As adults, our “cool girl” clothes don’t have brand names proudly displayed across the chest anyway. Who cares where it came from if it’s cute? If it saves some major dough, I’d be doing a happy dance. And seriously, if someone is going to critique you on where you purchased your super cute outfit, you probably don’t want to be friends with them anyway.

 

The post Fashion Hacks That Can Save You Big Bucks appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2ehqqwr

Is a car just a heap of metal that we drive around daily or does it actually serve a higher purpose? Some folks say that a car is almost a form of artistic expression or an extension of our personalities.

Of course, no one can be judged by the set of wheels they are sporting. Not every car purchased serves as a statement piece. Some people are just looking to get from A to B, while others are very deliberate about what their car will “say” to the world.

Nevertheless, studies show that most cars do have a little something to say about their owner.

How’s My Driving?

For example, the Lexus ES 300 happens to be the most ticketed car in America according to last year’s numbers. The year prior happened to be the Subaru WRX.

We aren’t only talking about speeding tickets either. These cars have received the most traffic violations – period.

Getting to the bottom of just why this might be is quite difficult. Some theorize that the opposite of what we would expect is true. The cheaper cars – not faster cars – actually get the most tickets.

Why would that be?

Well, many are saying this is due to the fact that younger, possibly less experienced drivers are purchasing cheaper cars. Despite the fact that some sportier cars have the ability to go fast, their owners are more likely to be of an older generation. Statistics show that anyone in the age range of 45 and over are paying much less on their insurance due to good driving habits.

In addition, what color car you drive may have something to do with getting ticketed as well. Another study showed that cars in silver, white, grey, and red are the most ticketed in the US, with white actually coming in front – not red. Many of us have heard the old tale of red cars being more eye-catching and sportier looking, resulting in more police stops and traffic tickets.

However, many more people are driving white cars. White cars make up about 25% of the cars on the road and 19% of them have a history of traffic violation.

See Also: Necessary Steps When Teaching Your Teenager to Drive 

Statistics Show There Actually are “Men’s Cars”

You may have heard the phrase, “that’s a girly car” or “that’s a manly car”, Well, turns out there is a difference in what types of cars men and women choose to buy.

It seems that heavy duty trucks and sporty cars are mostly purchased by men. And when we say mostly, we mean this market is dominated by men.

Every car on this list came in at 80% or more solely purchased by men. This list includes The Ford F-Series, Porsche, Corvette, BMW M3, and Audi S4.

On the other side of things, ladies seem to be pretty even across the board with only a very slight lead over men on some SUVs, sedans, and specific sporty cars as well. Around 57.9% of all Volvo S40 sales were due to women, but this list also includes vehicles like the Nissan Rogue, Volkswagen Eos, and the Jeep Compass.

So, it seems the stereotypical “girly” car doesn’t really exist. Yet, cars that are now considered rugged and geared toward a men’s world, like the Ford Mustang, were actually originally designed and marketed towards women. I guess it’s all in how you look at it.

See Also: 5 Important Questions And Tips For Buying A New Car 

Does This Car Fit My Personality?

Believe it or not, there is some scientific research to show what type of personality you might have based on the the type of car you own. For example, compact car owners tend to live in dense cities and don’t want to have to drive their cars too much.

Obviously that isn’t a huge surprise, but they do spend less money on their cars and tend to work less than others. Maybe it’s because people in this group value their free time more or it could be because they just don’t want a hefty car payment.

It’s hard to say, but this category lends itself to those who aren’t looking for anything flashy as a status symbol. They just want something that they can drive around town and won’t have a large impact on the environment.

Luxury car owners are almost completely opposite. These folks tend to be older individuals who have more education and higher paying jobs. They drive their cars much farther distances than those with compact cars, but are known to spend more hours in the office than the average person. Maybe this means that they drive farther distances to get to work or maybe this group embodies seniors travelling the world in retirement.

Of course, anyone can drive any car on the planet, but we choose our cars for one reason or another. It is interesting to examine the data and try to piece together who a person is and what they may have seen in their life based solely on their car. But, the fact of the matter is, it’s just impossible. Making a judgement about a person’s worth, experience, or style of living based on the car they drive is just not realistic. Yet, undoubtedly, owning a car is still a fun and exciting form of creative self-expression.

 

The post What Science Says About The Car You Drive appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2dqokWs