Best playing cards- Poker cards for the serious

Long Lasting Ultimate Playing Cards- Play Poker for a Year

Thinking about hosting a weekly poker game and need a good set of cards to last? After purchasing a set of these cards for my brother in law a few years back, then playing with them they are definitely the best playing cards I have ever used.

Copag Poker Playing Cards are an entirely plastic playing card that will last FAR FAR longer than that old beat up deck of bicycle cards.  They come in multiple designs for those with a particular style in mind besides the old red and blue cards we are all used too.

History with the best poker cards made

In 2008 Copag the manufacturer celebrate it's 100th anniversary. So be rest assured they have been around long enough to know some important things you'd like to see on the table or not.  Features include;

• 100% Plastic
• WASHABLE
• Very difficult to mar or mark up
• Bend resistant 
• Goes back to original shape
• Textured back for easy control
• Smooth bottom - easy slide to your players

KEM, a close second in the race for best playing cards

One of the other leading manufacturer of non-traditional playing cards KEM is also an excellent choice for a premium product.  Don't ask me to explain it but I can tell you these cards are also advertised of 100% plastic but not PVC like Copag. Instead they use cellulose acetate.  They are a bit pricier than Copags but I can't tell a real difference. However they do have one thing going for them - A GOLF themed deck!

A Mug that won't spill and you'll love- The Best Coffee Mug

Spill proof and AWESOME you'll love Contigo Mugs

 I found my new favorite coffee travel mug!

Well as you see above I found a great new mug to put my morning coffee in and I could not be more pleased.  This one is pretty simple it's a fantastic mug at keeping your beverage hot and cool while at the same time being leak and spill proof.

It's all about the lid on these.  The lid actually screws on unlike many cheaper friction seal mugs out there.  Additionally there is a button(easy to press long) right where you'd pick up your mug and you have to press it in order to open the slit that allows your morning bliss to flow out.  

Indeed, it has quickly become my go to cup for all types of beverage including water.  Yesterday I left some ice water in it and today my son found it with ice still in it!

Anyway check em out you will LOVE THEM.  I first got the idea when looking up a mug for my Kuerig on their site and found that they use Contigo technology.

Here's the one I got but they are available in ton's of colors and different capacity's.  

Best places to bank - ditching traditional banking

Say goodbye to high fees! - Where to bank

First a story about how I and many other people choose their first bank.  When I got a job corn detasseling (worst job I've ever had) with the advice of my Mom and Dad I opened a checking account at the local bank my parents used.  At the time it was Old Kent Bank.  For the most part I have been reasonably happy with them.  The first account I had was called totally free checking.  It was for the most part free.  

Fast forward a few years to when I start doing a few more complicated banking things, we have me and my long time girlfriend (now wife) sharing the same account lots of deposits and too many withdrawals.  After Old Kent merged with Fifth Third bank and my smart spouse wanted to get checks recently she upgraded the account to a "club" checking account which was also free but included free checks.  With the requirements being "direct deposit" which we've always had and at least 6 transactions a month (pretty much have this every day it seems)  

Reasons I started checking into switching from the BANK

• Once I got an overdraft fee - I am not whining I understand overdraft fees but I thought in this case, it was done in a particularly petty way.  You see I knew I had a deposit coming in and I scheduled a largish payoff the same day.  They posted the payment on payoff a couple of hours before my direct deposit and henceforth charged me an overdraft fee for the few hours till they posted the deposit.  Funny thing is the bank KNOWS the money is coming in and the exact amount the day before it posts ( I have called before to see and the representative was able to tell me)
• FRAUD- we had two transactions of $300 fraudulently charged from Boca Raton, FL a few years back - Good news the bank caught it an shut down the account.  Bad news - NO COMMUNICATION, I go to pay for lunch and my card got declined (embarrassing, I pay with another card)  Mind you this is MY BANK they have my email, cell phone number, wife's cell phone, my work number.  A quick - "Hi this is the fraud department your account has been suspended please contact us" would have been nice.  Actually I think is should be a requirement!
• FEES - These suck and while many of them are understandable I had two bad experiences I thought were particularly unfair and wrong to say the least.  ONE - using a teller to deposit funds/withdraw.  The bank charges to use a live person.  I knew this going in at the time a few years back.  The problem was the ATM was BROKEN so you couldn't use it.  I went in to deposit something and take out money.  Later I noticed a 1.00 teller assist fee. LUDICROUS!   TWO- Cashiers Check for closing on my home.  $7 - it took them 90 seconds to process this request and I was charged $7.00.  The credit union I'll talk about in a second charges ZERO.  Fifth Third in particular seems to have a horrible track record on crazy fees 
• Refusal to remove someone - I realize this is a relatively common practice for large banks but I think it is not consumer friendly at all.  They would not remove my mom (who was on there when I was a MINOR) from my account without closing the entire account and reopening a new one.  THIS IS A PAIN,  but eventually I decided to do it.  In fact the credit union I am switching too has a 1/3 page form to get signatures and make this happen.  I don't see why they wouldn't do it IF you got permission in writing from all account holders.

Military Credit Unions THE WAY TO BANK for less

If you can get into one I firmly believe military credit unions serving their members, family members and household members are a fantastic place to put your money! Here's some of my top choices.  Ofcourse your local credit union could be great too.

• NFCU   -Navy Federal Credit Union
• USAA  (Technically a Federal Savings Bank)
• Airforce Federal Credit Union

You'll enjoy very low if any fees.  I found mine NFCU to have the lowest loan rates I could find.  They pay you interest on your checking and savings. In general you'll see lower approval guidelines and more personalized service.  

Additionally, most credit unions work together to allow FREE USE at the network of ATM's.  Another great feature I love of NFCU and USAA is online scanned check deposits.  Deposit a check from ANYWHERE with a scanner.  Partner that with free use of more local credit union ATM's and your set.  

Find a way in, my Dad who had previously served got membership and therefore I could.  Now I can sponsor so my kids, wife etc can me members as well.

DITCH YOUR BANK CHOOSE A CREDIT UNION

Having trouble sleeping, get a good nights sleep

Best way to ensure a restful sleep

I am going to explore some of the top factors preventing you from getting a good nights sleep and help make a game plan for awakening rested.  Truth is for the most part you anyone can get a restful sleep if they simply plan their day effectively and follow the proper routine. 

What to do to get the best night's sleep

If you are truly having trouble sleeping and ready to make a commitment to getting a good nights sleep I am going to lay out a road map for your day that will help set your body up for sleeping.

• Start off the day with a plan for eating well, get good breakfast in the morning but don't gorge.
• Most of you are working so just make sure you take a few minutes to have a light lunch or snack (we need to avoid the feeling of being famished that will play in later)
• Exercise - This is key but so is the timing.  We want to stop our exercise no later than 3 hours before you plan on hitting the sack.  You do need your body to have used the proper amount of energy during the day.  It is vital that you don't exercise too late though too,  exercising close to bed time can keep you up as well as you kick start your bodies metabolism and awaken your brain.  You don't have to go to the gym, just be MOVING - cleaning the house for an hour, mowing your lawn, taking the dog on a long walk all work.  Of course if you can actually get to the gym for a more serious workout this will help too.
• Eat Dinner - Well we know your hungry by now - but try to eat a balanced dinner.  If at all possible stop eating 2.5 hours or earlier before bedtime.  Toy with these times a little, you need to be full but not so full you feel terrible.  Also, it can't have been to long since your last meal either or you may start getting hungry again.  
• About 30 minutes to one hour before bedtime try to limit your exposure to harsh light.  Do your nighttime routines before now, like brushing your teeth etc...  If sipping on a beverage helps you try some warm milk of non caffeinated tea, my wife especially likes sleepytime tea.  
• Having a hard time turning your brain off?  So do I if you can exercise a little more intensely earlier in the day this will help.  So will getting your focus on something else immediately before bed like a good book.  Crossword puzzles or brain teasers, some low stress activity that nonetheless requires your attention.
• Get where ever you are sleeping as DARK as possible.  Also put on a fan or some sort of static noise so the silence doesn't allow you to start thinking again.  
• Sleeping temperature;  Generally speaking it needs to be colder ambient temperature in your room than during the day to get optimal sleep.  At the same time many people including myself find it hard to fall asleep in the first place if it's that cold.  Instead try setting a programmable thermostat to a lower temperature either right before you hit the sack(the temp with gradually drop) or program it so the lower temp takes effect 1-1.5 hours after you start sleeping.

Hard time falling asleep - Is Melatonin the answer?

I am NOT A DOCTOR, so before you take any drugs or supplements you may want to consult a physician.  OK, now that being said I had some great luck with helping me get back into a good sleeping pattern by taking an all natural melatonin supplement 1/2 hour before bedtime.  This is an over the counter supplement.  You body naturally produces melatonin as well.  For me it helped me turn my brain off so I could more easily get to sleep.  

What to avoid if you need a good nights sleep

1. The number one misused thing to get to sleep is ALCOHOL.  OK, you say passing out is getting to sleep?  Well it's not an alcohol creates a ton of tossing and turning.  After heavy drinking you'll hardly ever get any restorative sleep. If you are going to drink anyway that night try to stop early and limit your intake.  The goal here is to have processed any alcohol before trying to sleep.
2. Rigorous activity - Don't work out right before bed.  Nor should you be marathon cleaning or shoveling snow before you try to get some Z's, you need some calm down time.
3. Caffeine - Many people don't know that depending on your metabolism and the amount of caffeine you've consumed there can be traces of it in your body 8-14 hours later.   For me I've tried to establish a lunch cut off time for consuming caffeinated beverages.