Newlywed

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

Announcing our Newlywed Sleep Number Perfect Comforter Winner!

Congratulations to our Perfect Comforter winner, Whitney! We’re so happy for you and your hubby! Whitney read our newlywed blog, left a comment and now she’s won a custom Sleep Number Perfect Comforter! Now she and her husband will get to select the fill and warmth level of their sides of the same comforter! Talk about a great wedding gift!

Whitney, we hope you will send us a picture of you and your prize, once it’s on your bed and solving your nightly temperature struggles. Please check your email for the details on how to redeem your prize from Sleep Number!

Sad you didn’t win our December newlywed blog prize? Don’t worry, January’s contest starts tomorrow…and we can’t lie…it’s awesome!

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!

Top 10 Things to Do In Bed This Christmas

Don’t miss the top 10 things to do in bed this season! Now that Christmas is right around the corner, you may be a bit frazzled from shopping, baking and wrapping. What could be better than climbing in bed for a long winter’s nap? Well, we’ve come up with a list of alternative bedroom activities to put you in the holiday spirit!

Top 10 Things to Do In Bed This Christmas

10. Play a Christmas themed board game in your pjs
9. Open tiny surprise Christmas Eve gifts
8. Cuddle up and watch the snow fall
7. Play naughty Santa
6. Drift off to sleep with visions of sugar plums dancing through your head We weren’t sure exactly what a sugar plum was, so here’s the scoop so you know exactly what you’re dreaming about.
5. Give and receive a sugar cookie scented massage
4. Watch Holiday Specials and Movies. Here’s a guide to help you find the perfect flick to put you in the holiday spirit.
3. Have Christmas Morning Mimosas and breakfast in bed. What better way to kick off your first Christmas day as newlyweds!
2. Make love with your favorite Christmas music and a fire crackling in the background
1. Dream about the fabulous Sleep Number Comforter that you’ve entered to win on the MissNowMrs.com newlywed blog!

Sleep Number has teamed up with MissNowMrs.com to offer one of our newlywed blog readers the chance to win a completely customized Create Your Perfect Comforter (A $280 value)!

The Sleep Number Create your Perfect Comforter is the ideal solution for couples who disagree on bedroom temperature as each side of the comforter can be customized. You get to choose the fill, customize your warmth level and then relax with your perfect comforter. Say goodbye to sleepless nights and blanket wars!

Ready to win our cozy December giveaway? Leave a comment on this, or any of our Newlywed Bed Posts on Mondays this month and you’ll be automatically entered to win. Tell us all about why you and your spouse should win this custom comforter. We’d love to know what lengths you’ve gone to to solve your temperature differences.

The randomly selected contest winner will be announced on December 31st!! If we don’t hear back from the winner within 2 weeks, we will randomly select a new winner to make sure someone ends up with this great prize!

Also, if you’re in the mood for newlywed bed giveaways, you can win a memory foam bed, a Flexfit adjustable base, and $500 in Sleep Number bedding through Sleep Number’s holiday sweepstakes at: www.sleepnumber.com.