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11 Valentines Day gifts you should avoid
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Ah, Valentine's Day. A time for chocolate, a time for candy, a time for us singles to declare #ForeverAlone. But for those celebrating, make sure you do it right. - photo by Herb Scribner
Most say Valentines Day is a time to celebrate love.

But really its a time when couples spend wads of cash on all things pink, red and white. On gifts, like chocolate, flowers and teddy bears.

Americans spend a lot of money, too. The National Retail Federation reported that Americans will spend $18.9 billion, a new record due to an improving economy that has given Americans a chance to spend more money on their loved ones, U.S. News reported.

Its great to see consumers coming out of their shell this year, looking to spend discretionary budgets on those they love once again, Pam Goodfellow, a principal analyst for Prosper Insights & Analytics, said in a National Retail Federation news release. While many will splurge, some will still look for simple and affordable ways to show their appreciation for friends and family and celebrate in a way they are most comfortable with.

In fact, about 55 percent of consumers plan to spend on Valentines Day this year. The average person will spend $142.31, with about $96.63 going towards a spouse or significant other and the rest going to family, friends, co-workers, pets, teachers and classmates.

Men spend more than women, dishing out $190.53 on their partner while women spend $96.58, the report found. On average, men tend to spend almost twice as much.

Finding the right gift can always be a problem, especially since Christmas just passed and your significant other may have received everything on their list. Theres also romanticism to consider do you buy your spouse something romantic or do you focus on practicality?

To find the right gift, it might be helpful to look at what you shouldnt get your partner for the holiday.

In most cases, women actually dont always want something expensive, according to BankRate. They just want something thatll show their man cares for them.

"More than expensive gifts, women want their men to show them that they truly cherish them. By doing a little homework and paying attention to the things their loved one really cares about, men can make women feel adored," author and relationship expert Robyn Spizman told BankRate. "It's not about cost."

So we could fill this list with ideas about what you should get your spouse, but thats been done before. Lets look at what partners dont want for Valentines Day instead.

Spring apparel

Matthew Kirkwood of Bens Bargains, an online retail website, told me in an email that buyers should avoid spring clothes, even if the deals seem appealing. Most spring clothing will still be on sale in the coming weeks, so theres no need to rush on those items just yet.

Patio furniture

The same applies for patio furniture, Kirkwood said. Theres unlikely to be many great deals at this time of year, so women interested in buying their man a grill may want to hold off until closeout sales in December and January.

Jewelry

Not only is this cliche, but most jewelry stores overprice their items because they know its a holiday staple. Sales will only give at most 10 percent off, Kirkwood said, which is why buyers may want to wait until September or August to start racking up the diamonds.

For kids, dont get toys

As the NRF suggested, some Valentines Day gifts are shared between families. This doesnt mean that parents should buy their child a toy right away. Most toys are full priced right now to make up for the bargain prices from around the holiday, so parents are unlikely to find a good deal on the shelves.

Luggage

Given that Valentines Day falls on Presidents Day weekend this year, luggage will be at full price, too, to take advantage of travelers, Kirkwood said. It may be best to wait until March, when the new models come out near summer.

Pets

You should really think twice before buying you and your significant other a pet for Valentines Day, Sharilyn Johnson wrote for Huffington Post Canada in 2013. Pet ownership is a major decision for couples and shouldnt be handled passively on the 14th of February. Instead, take time to talk through the decision with your partner so you dont surprise them with a major life decision like this. It could spell potential doom in your relationship.

Gift cards

Yes, that $15 iTunes gift card will help your spouse buy the new Justin Bieber album, but it wont come off all that romantic, Johnson wrote for HuffPost Canada. These are often seen as an afterthought, so much so that stores keep them at the check-out counter so youll buy them on the way out. To put it another way: if you resort to this as a Valentines Day gift, youve pretty much checked out of the relationship, she wrote.

A night at White Castle

In a list of Valentines Day gifts thatll make your spouse break up with you, Time suggested not going to White Castle for Valentines Day. The fast food restaurant offers a romantic dinner for two, and requires reservations to be made ahead of time. This isnt exactly the most romantic place to spend your holiday, but it could make for a good absolute hoot to mock-celebrate Valentines Day at a down-and-dirty fast food joint, Time reported.

Alcohol or lingerie

Some Americans probably think a bottle of wine and some Victorias Secret underwear will do the trick. But you might want to think twice about that. A survey from offers.com found that 33 percent of women and 22 percent of men dont want a bottle of alcohol on Valentines day, while 22 percent dont want any sort of lingerie. Careful about embracing those cliches. It wont go down silky smooth.

Some 99 cent store items

One of the leading value stores in America, 99 Cents Only Stores, unveiled some items you shouldnt get for Valentines Day earlier this year, like Tylenol Extra Strength, athletes foot creme, or even some types of deodorant all of which are available in their stories.

Anything on Feb. 14

The perfect way to celebrate Valentines Day is to celebrate the holiday on the next day. U.S. News Moneys Erin Lowrey suggests that couples find good restaurant and gifts deals on Feb. 15 since there will be some potential saving opportunities. Many times there are so-called fire sales, which mark down Valentines Day items by a significant margin, allowing couples to buy them for cheap.

This rebellion can be accomplished by deciding to ditch the gift route entirely, U.S. News reported. Spend the time together with loved ones doing a mutually enjoyable activity, whether it costs money or not. Double Valentines Day rebel points if its free.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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