Rahul Shariff

My 11 year old daughter was having her first periods and the questions she asked left me totally stumped. Why don’t boys have periods, Papa? Do they bleed? When girls get periods as they age, what do boys get? Although I was prepared for all sorts of questions, these questions left me and my wife searching for the right answers. I tried to answer each one of her questions in an honest manner. I said, “My dear, boys do not get periods and they do not bleed. When boys reach the age of 11, 12 or 13 they do not get anything similar to what the girls get. There are many changes that take place in a boy but they are definitely not painful. She was now looking at both me and my wife with a surprised look on her face. Her expressions seemed to suggest that this was totally unfair and that she does not agree with how God had created man and woman. She was shaking her head in a manner that suggested that she was not happy with what we were saying.   Initially we tried to explain to

Faulty wiring can lead to electric shock and electrocution. Home wiring problems can also pose a fire hazard. You may be able to easily avoid all this if you hire an electrician who is reliable and experienced. Credentials – Electricians must be licensed. It is best to learn about the local license requirements in the area so that you can hire those meeting the required credentials. Insurance – Check if they have liability insurance so that you are covered if there is any damage to the building or fittings. If they are not covered by insurance you may have to bear the expenses if anyone is hurt during the electrical work. Costs – Get several estimates for the work to be performed so that you can compare costs and choose the best that meets your specific budget requirements. Ensure that the estimates are itemized so that you are aware of the complete billing in detail. This can enable you to know how much the job may cost. Get the

Taking a cash advance make seem a perfect solution if you are faced with a financial emergency and need quick cash. Most people sign up for this short term loan as it offers a quick fix to their financial dilemma. One of the important things that you need to remember is that this perfect solution comes with a high price. You can land in serious financial trouble if you rely on cash advances. Danger 1: Exorbitant fees Cash advances are promoted by credit card companies to get quick access to cash in emergency situations. These transactions are often accompanied by convenience fees. In addition to this fee, you may also have to pay ATM fees when you withdraw cash from an out of network unit. Every aspect of the process has some fees associated with it and this makes it costly. Danger 2: Interest rates The high interest rates that apply are another danger of cash advances using a credit card. The annual percentage rate (APR) is always higher and is usually double than the pe

A very important aspect of your financial plan should be to save money on groceries, as they tend to be one of the biggest expenditures of any family. All of us were already worried about recession and with inflation also on the rise it becomes very difficult to keep the budget under control. Your debt is already causing sleepless nights and the grocery bills add to the misery. Most families are shocked to see their grocery bills rising. What do you do? Is there a way you can win over inflation? Is there a financial plan to control the ever increasing prices? You are not alone, in this battle and we will help you get a plan in action to create a win-win situation. Here we go! Don't shop when you are hungry - Hungry and grocery shopping! Never do your groceries shopping when you are hungry as you tend to buy things that you don't need. You will indulge in a lot of impulsive shopping. Plan your meals - You should have a definite plan; you should know what you need and wha

Why is it that some relationships are successful while others tend to fall apart even when you had made an effort to give your best? What are the key secrets to a successful relationship? It is important to know that building long term bonds are not easy and there are many factors that make them successful. You will need to constantly nurture your association, if you want it to be successful. Top 7 secrets to a successful relationship Communication is very important  - It is probably one of the simplest ways to have a successful relationship yet most couples do not realize its importance. When you communicate with your partner, you are not just talking with them but also sharing your innermost feelings of love. When you are open and honest about your thoughts and feelings, you will be able to build a long term bond. Be realistic in your expectations  - Most couples have unrealistic expectations from their love life and this ruins a perfect bond. You should not be over possess

Your budget is very tight and you will have to come up with practical ways to save money so that you do not get into a debt trap. How does one save money when you have to tackle recession, inflation, rising prices, unemployment and debts? Is there a solution? Can you get out of the mess? Can you really save in such tough conditions? Well, the answer is a resounding YES. All you need is a plan of action and you are on the path of success. You will be surprised to see simple changes to your lifestyle make a big difference to your finances. Well, here is the plan; Eat at home instead of eating out. If you buy lunch every day, start taking it from home. Make your own coffee instead of buying Starbucks daily. Buy the groceries in bulk as this will help you save money. Do not indulge in impulsive shopping. Carry a list while shopping for groceries. Shop once a week and never when you are hungry. Save electricity by switching off lights, fans and TV. Restrict your credit card use.

Recession has hit every household so hard that everyone is forced to think of the easiest ways to save money. God! What do you do? You are confused and don't know where to start. You want to eliminate the debt and take control of your life once again. Well to start, you need a plan and need to follow it together as a family. Don't make very big plans as you are bound to fail. The magic is in keeping the plan simple and achievable. What seem as small savings initially will over a period of time run into a few thousand dollars and you can resurrect your debt completely. Well are you interested? If yes, lets kick start your plan of action. This is just a broad plan suggesting the easiest ways to save money and you can tweak it as per your individual needs. So shall we start... here we go... Cook at home - You will be surprised to know that most of us tend to spend a lot of money eating out. Well, start with one day a week where you will cook at home. Slowly increase the f