Danielle Tate

Married Name-Change: Not to be Misunderstood

As MissNowMrs.com was created to relieve you from unnecessary stress, research, and form completion, we also want to be sure that we provide you with all of the fine details (cause that’s what us women love!) and make sure that you’re “in the know” when and if you decide to change your name!

First things first! After you have said your I Do’s, your Officiant will often times announce to your guests, “I now pronounce to you, Mr. and Mrs. XYZ”! Although your marriage is official, unfortunately that doesn’t mean that your name has automatically changed to your spouses’. Hence the reason for MissNowMrs.com, as we figured out first hand that changing to your new married name can be quite a hassle, so we’ve created this service to lay it out in black and white for you! In the past few years, we have discovered that there are quite a few newlyweds under the impression that the bride’s name is automatically changed once you are married (oh if only all things in life could be that simple)! For some brides, however, this is good news, as not everyone chooses to change their name!

Now that you know there is some necessary paperwork that must be filed when changing your name –here’s the good news! If you have discussed your name-change options with your spouse, you can get a jump-start on the process and complete all of your forms, print them off, and prepare for filing with your MissNowMrs account… before you are married! You will need to wait to submit your forms until after your marriage, as you will need a copy of your marriage certificate, but you will already have everything prepared and ready to go! Once you have registered for an account with us, it is yours to access via email and password, so that you may work at your own pace.

Please share with us and fellow newlyweds any misconceptions that you had in regard to your married name change, or anything that you wish you would’ve known before your wedding when it comes to changing your name!

Dealing With Spousal Debt

How do you handle dealing with spousal debt? Being a newlywed is full of the bliss of being with the one you love, which includes bringing their life together with yours. That also includes their financial situation. Unfortunately for some, it means introducing debt into their brand new life. Money is a big stressor on marriages, but before you panic at the idea of debt tarnishing your new life together, take some time to consider a few things.

It’s important that you know about the debt early on so you can take steps to handle the problem as soon as possible. After all, marriage is about trust and understanding. Marriage does indeed change everything about a person’s financial standing. Depending upon your living conditions before marriage, you may still be used to handling your finances as an individual. But now you’re sharing your life, so it’s time to start sharing your plans on money. This may actually continue within your marriage; your spouse uses the money brought in through their occupation to handle the debt while you handle other financial areas of the marriage.

Remember that debt accrued by your partner essentially remains theirs until you put your name into the mix. For example, a loan under their name remains their responsibility by law unless you help to refinance it. Credit card histories also do not suddenly merge after you marry. Only things you do together, such as purchase a house, become the responsibility of both.

As for handling the debt, ultimately it is up to the decisions made by you and your spouse. It comes down to your financial planning and how you want to manage the debt. Will both of you help pay it down? Just one person? Take some time to sit down with your partner and talk about the debt, your income, and what steps should be taken in order to remove the debt from both your lives. Once you discuss the matter, it can be appropriately handled and eventually you will see the debt go down until it disappears completely.

If you still find that you have problems, you can always go to a credit counselor or other debt counselor to see if there are ways to reduce loan amounts, interest rates, and improve your budgeting skills. Remember, your partner doesn’t want to be in debt anymore than you do and will need your love and support. Don’t let money get in the way of your happiness when it doesn’t have to!

Do you have any helpful recommendations for our readers dealing with spousal debt? We’d love for you to share your advice in a comment!

Don’t Be a Grinch This Season

Okay, so we’re not kids anymore, but does that mean we can’t enjoy the holidays like we once did? I say NO WAY! Recently, I visited with my family and got to spend some quality time with my youngest sister who always brings the little girl in me back out. We danced and sang songs, baked and decorated cookies and even decorated our very own Gingerbread House. I left feeling refreshed, cheerful and ready to take on the holidays and everything that comes along with them (i.e. shopping, long lines, holiday traffic, bouncing from one house to the next to be sure we see EVERYONE in a matter of 2 days, etc.). So, my advice to you if you’re still not quite into the Christmas spirit is to try any of the following things to help bring the little kid in you back out this season!

Send Christmas/Holiday Cards: One of my favorite things to come home to this time of year (besides my husband and puppy) is to cards from family and friends wishing us a Happy Holiday. We’ve sent our cards out too and I know I’m not the only one who looks forward to receiving them along with pictures and updates on the lives of those we care about most.

Build a Gingerbread House: The coolest thing about this is now they have pre-built houses for the not so crafty types (or those not wanting to make a huge mess). If you buy a kit, they typically come with the house, frosting and bags of little green and red candies to use for decoration. My sister and I went nuts with the white frosting and added our own sprinkles and extra candies to make a very unique Gingerbread House (believe me, Dad was proud). You can checkout Ultimate Gingerbread for instructions, images and inspiration.

Bake Cookies: I don’t know anyone who loses weight during the holidays, so indulge now and worry about it after the New Year like everyone else! You can use cookie cutters to make little Santa cookies, snowmen, gingerbread men, snowflakes, stars…you get the idea. A little frosting and some sprinkles and you’ve got yourself a bit of holiday cheer in every bite!

Build a Snowman: If you’re lucky enough to have some snow on the ground you should definitely go out and enjoy it (but remember, don’t eat yellow snow…YUCK!). Build a snowman or make snow angels side-by-side with your spouse and don’t worry about how cold it is outside—Bundle up! It’ll be fun and you’ll have a cute story to share with your family this year.

Drink Hot Chocolate: After you enjoy playing in the snow you can go inside and enjoy a nice big mug of hot chocolate (don’t forget the marshmallows) and snuggle up with your spouse on the couch with blankets or a fire in your fireplace.

Host a Cocktail Party: You could have some of your closest friends or family members over for a holiday party. There’s nothing better than spending time with those you love any time of year, but there’s something about Christmas. You know what they say: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Get colorful and creative with these fabulous ideas from hostessblog.com.

What gets you and/or your spouse into the Holiday Spirit? Share it with us and other readers to bring the light-hearted kid out in all of us!

Perfect Newlywed Stocking Stuffers

Looking for newlywed stocking stuffers? We’re officially in the home stretch for Christmas…hooray! Hopefully your presents are purchased, your stockings are hung by the chimney with care and you can relax and enjoy the holiday festivities with the love of your life. If you’re still frantically scrambling for last minute gifts for your spouse, read on for some quick ideas to stuff those stockings!

For Him:

Tools. Men just love to get gadgets in their stockings, and Home Depot makes it so easy by having inexpensive items on each of their end caps during December. Confused about what to get? Just ask any man standing next to you for his opinion…he’ll be happy to tell you what he hopes his wife gets for him!

Gloves. You may have a matching pair of gloves for all 13 coats that you own, but chances are your man doesn’t. Surprise him with nice leather gloves, and he’ll be wearing them for years to come.

Sausage….yes, I’m serious. For some reason all men we’ve encountered love the mini summer sausages that come with the holidays, so wrap a few up and add them to his stocking. The man in your life will be pleasantly surprised at how well you know him and his tastes!

Hobby-related items make ideal stocking stuffers. Golf balls, fishing lures and sports team paraphernalia are always good bets. Just be sure to pick something you know he’ll use, not something you wish he would.

Something silly. Guys love a good joke and will appreciate your efforts to amuse them. Try to reference some inside joke that the two of you have or go for something really off the wall like a screaming monkey sling shot. Your man will be entertaining your neighbors and his co-workers for the next month with it!

For Her:

OPI minis are a fantastic little beauty treat to find in a stocking. They’re fun, festive and will last until summer! She’ll smile every time she looks at her post-holiday manicure.

Chocolate, there’s simply nothing better or more indulgent to receive! Check out the Godiva Stocking Stuffers page chock full of chocolate treats for the ladies in your life. Our favorite is the Milk Chocolate Truffle Gems Tube!

Holiday scented candles are another fun goodie to get. Try to find a scent that you know the recipient will enjoy.

Something romantic, like Reasons I Love You Stones. This little pouch of metal pieces reminds your loved one how special you think they are all year through.

Bath products are always a great stocking addition. Anything from bath salts to hand cream works. Check out Philosophy’s whole holiday line.

We hope these few tips will help you fill your love’s stocking full of things they’ll appreciate and use! Do you have any go-to newlywed stocking stuffers for your spouse? We’d love for you to leave us a comment about it!

Tips to Becoming a Healthier You in the New Year!

Looking forward to a healthier you in the New Year? If you’ve already come up with your New Year’s resolution and decided on the ever-so-popular goal to drop a few pounds in the New Year (such as my hubby and I have already made a pact to do together), here are some ideas to think about and a few tips to help you stick with, and accomplish your goals!

Grab a partner…A.K.A.– get your spouse on board with you! Not only does the extra motivation help when it comes to incorporating work-out time into your weekly schedules, but if you are both focused on weight loss and healthy eating, you will be less likely to give into that amazing smell of fast food on your way home from work!

Don’t wait till the clock strikes midnight! Okay, since I’ve already faced the fact that yes, the cookies, pies, fudge, and our favorite holiday cocktails have already taken over our routine meal plans, I’ve switched my focus to portion control management! If you’ve already decided on losing weight, don’t wait until Jan.1 to really get the ball rolling, it’s just going to be that much harder if your 15 pound weight loss goal, somehow overnight turns to 20! Regulate your intake on sweets, and stick to you English muffin for breakfast, the pie can wait for dessert!

Rid your house from the junk! When it comes to a healthy diet, some people like trying out different diet meal plans, diet pills, etc… and sometimes you can find one that actually works and makes you feel great, and loose the weight quickly! For some of us diets, work for a few weeks, then we go off and the weight pours back on. The best diet method I have found to really work is… if I don’t see it, I don’t eat it!

So on your next trip to the grocery store, skip the chips, cookies, and any other unhealthy food weaknesses, and you will gradually notice that your desire to snack on these items has diminished. Not to mention, once the daily after-dinner bowl of ice cream is no longer, the morning squats won’t be necessary anymore when putting on your skinny jeans! Also, if you’re not sure of how to shop healthy, did you know that the healthiest foods are found in the outside aisles of the grocery store (processed and unhealthy foods are located in the middle aisles)?

If you are not into the gym thing and Denise Austin on your television is just not working for you anymore you must check out the Wii Fit! The good news is, there is still time to add the Wii and a few workout games to your Christmas list, but hurry! This is the hottest revolution in home fitness, and is great for those who enjoy the privacy of their own home, and also for those that have a little one at home to tend to—this is perfect!

If you are still looking for an extra push and something to really get you focused and goal-driven with your New Year’s fitness plan, hire a personal trainer! Fitness and nutrition is their specialty, and they will offer you drive and motivation, a new work-out plan, and often times much quicker results from your new work-out and nutritional regimen! Even if just for a month, it will be worth your while!

Please share your New Year’s Resolutions with us, and if they are fitness related, tell us what you’re doing to ensure a healthier you in the New Year.