#instead of putting that extra 35 bucks into my savings account

[grapefacegrfa]

Being an adult with a job and making my own money is actual kinda neat sometimes because I get to spend a little bit on myself once in a blue moon to make my inner child happy

Case in point

Giant Korbo

[tomrg2321-blog]

How to Maximize the Benefits of Your Retirement Account

How to Maximize the Benefits of Your Retirement Account is a post originally published on: Everything Finance - Everything Finance - Its all about Money!

No matter your current age, retirement is something that should be on your mind in some way, shape or form. Whether you are younger and just starting out in the workforce, or getting closer to retirement, what you choose to do can greatly affect your future. There are a few ways to maximize the benefits of your retirement account that we should all be thinking about.

Maximum Contributions

If you have the means to do so, maximizing the contributions to your retirement accounts can really help you out tremendously in the long run. Here is the basic breakdown of the maximum you can contribute in 2019, according to the new IRS rules:

$19,000 for 401(k), 403 (b), Thrift Savings Plan & some 457 plans

$6,000 for IRA's

$1,000 for catch up contributions over the age of 50

The IRS increased some of the contribution limits going into 2019, which should help a lot of Americans save more faster. But this only helps if you can contribute the full amount.

If you can't do that, then your first step should be working on getting back on track with your budget. Getting back into your budget can help you see if, and where, you can cut expenses.

Taking Advantage of Matching

If you do have the benefit of working for somebody else AND they offer to match for retirement contributions, then definitely take advantage of that. Every company is structured differently, and it is completely up to each company how they decide to offer matching, if they do at all.

Here are some of the most common ways you might run across a matching option:

$.50 on the dollar for the first 3-5% you contribute

2.7% of your pay, on average

100% match up to the first 3-5% you contribute

I know, that I personally have worked for companies that offered the 3rd option. I really wish that I had paid closer attention in my youth and contributed the maximum amount possible. As they say, hindsight is 20/20. I have been kicking my older and wiser self for years now about this mistake. Please don't follow in my misguided footsteps!

SEP IRA

A SEP IRA is a great way to contribute to a retirement account when you are self-employed. This type of account is similar to an IRA, except that you can contribute more to it than a Roth IRA or Traditional IRA.

Currently, if you open a SEP IRA, you can contribute up to 25% of your income or $52,000, whichever one happens to be less. Not only that but you won't be taxed on anything until you begin withdrawing funds in retirement. So this can be a really great way to maximize the benefits of retirement and save more along the way.

Gift Your Future Self

Instead of buying holiday presents for your loved one and yourself, contribute to your retirement accounts. I realize this sounds like an odd gift to give yourself, but hear me out.

Most of the presents we purchase for ourselves or spouses are outdated in a short period of time. Instead of doing that what if we put that money into our retirement accounts (whichever accounts you have). We could have a much happier retirement. We could also potentially retire much earlier than we would have been able to if we didn't put those extra funds into our retirement. This is due to the magic of compounding!

Here is a good example of what that might look like, using a compounding calculator:

Let's say you and your spouse spend a total of $600 on holiday gifts for each other, per year.

When you are 30, you start gifting this money to your future selves via a retirement account each year instead.

The average rate of interest earned is 7% annually (of course this fluctuates greatly, depending on the market).

You plan to save this extra $600 a year, for the next 35 years, to retire at age 65.

You will then have an extra $88,280 in your retirement account.

This means you could potentially retire one to two years earlier!

I don't know about you, but this sounds like a much better gift to me.

Best Retirement Age

When you choose to retire can have a huge effect on how much retirement you can take. This is not only related to Social Security but also your Roth IRA and/or 401(k).

With regards to Social Security, you can start getting 100% of your benefits when you are 66. If you wait until age 70, you can get up to 132% of your Social Security benefits. That sounds like a much better deal to me!

You can start making penalty-free withdrawals from a Roth IRA or Traditional IRA when you are 59 1/2. You can continue to contribute to these plans until you are 70 1/2, if you still have earned income until then.

Even though you can start withdrawing that early, it seems like it makes more financial sense to wait until age 70 to begin retirement. Especially, if you are counting on Social Security being a large factor of your retirement plan.

Where You Live Matters

When you do get to the point that you've decided to retire, where you choose to live does matter. It actually matters a lot! This is due to the fact that there are 37 states that do NOT tax social security income. Yes, you heard me correctly!

What this means to you, is that if you want more bang for your buck when you retire, then you should consider where you live. Or, better said, where you choose to live when you retire.

Don't just look at which states are social security income friendly though. You will want to take a look at the property taxes, state and local taxes and taxes on other retirement income. These aspects are crucial to the overall equation in order to maximize your benefits in retirement.

Benefit Yourself

Overall, what you do now with your retirement account directly impacts your future self. There are benefits of your retirement account. Whether you begin contributing more due to the new maximum contributions limits. Taking advantage of employer matching at your job, open a SEP IRA if you are self-employed, or gift your future self instead of your current self, all of these things will help you tremendously in the long run.

What you do now with your retirement accounts directly impacts your future self. Click To Tweet

If you are closer to retirement and have already made all of these great strides to get you there, then bravo! Just remember to figure out what the optimal age is for you to retire and get the most benefits, as well as pick somewhere to live that is more retirement friendly.

If you make retirement more of a regular part of your financial routine, then you will definitely be maximizing the benefits you can get from your retirement accounts.

What are some of the best ways you have found to maximize your retirement accounts?

How to Maximize the Benefits of Your Retirement Account is a post originally published on: Everything Finance - Everything Finance - Its all about Money!

[kelseybookies-blog]

How to Maximize the Benefits of Your Retirement Account

How to Maximize the Benefits of Your Retirement Account is a post originally published on: Everything Finance - Everything Finance - Its all about Money!

No matter your current age, retirement is something that should be on your mind in some way, shape or form. Whether you are younger and just starting out in the workforce, or getting closer to retirement, what you choose to do can greatly affect your future. There are a few ways to maximize the benefits of your retirement account that we should all be thinking about.

Maximum Contributions

If you have the means to do so, maximizing the contributions to your retirement accounts can really help you out tremendously in the long run. Here is the basic breakdown of the maximum you can contribute in 2019, according to the new IRS rules:

$19,000 for 401(k), 403 (b), Thrift Savings Plan & some 457 plans

$6,000 for IRA's

$1,000 for catch up contributions over the age of 50

The IRS increased some of the contribution limits going into 2019, which should help a lot of Americans save more faster. But this only helps if you can contribute the full amount.

If you can't do that, then your first step should be working on getting back on track with your budget. Getting back into your budget can help you see if, and where, you can cut expenses.

Taking Advantage of Matching

If you do have the benefit of working for somebody else AND they offer to match for retirement contributions, then definitely take advantage of that. Every company is structured differently, and it is completely up to each company how they decide to offer matching, if they do at all.

Here are some of the most common ways you might run across a matching option:

$.50 on the dollar for the first 3-5% you contribute

2.7% of your pay, on average

100% match up to the first 3-5% you contribute

I know, that I personally have worked for companies that offered the 3rd option. I really wish that I had paid closer attention in my youth and contributed the maximum amount possible. As they say, hindsight is 20/20. I have been kicking my older and wiser self for years now about this mistake. Please don't follow in my misguided footsteps!

SEP IRA

A SEP IRA is a great way to contribute to a retirement account when you are self-employed. This type of account is similar to an IRA, except that you can contribute more to it than a Roth IRA or Traditional IRA.

Currently, if you open a SEP IRA, you can contribute up to 25% of your income or $52,000, whichever one happens to be less. Not only that but you won't be taxed on anything until you begin withdrawing funds in retirement. So this can be a really great way to maximize the benefits of retirement and save more along the way.

Gift Your Future Self

Instead of buying holiday presents for your loved one and yourself, contribute to your retirement accounts. I realize this sounds like an odd gift to give yourself, but hear me out.

Most of the presents we purchase for ourselves or spouses are outdated in a short period of time. Instead of doing that what if we put that money into our retirement accounts (whichever accounts you have). We could have a much happier retirement. We could also potentially retire much earlier than we would have been able to if we didn't put those extra funds into our retirement. This is due to the magic of compounding!

Here is a good example of what that might look like, using a compounding calculator:

Let's say you and your spouse spend a total of $600 on holiday gifts for each other, per year.

When you are 30, you start gifting this money to your future selves via a retirement account each year instead.

The average rate of interest earned is 7% annually (of course this fluctuates greatly, depending on the market).

You plan to save this extra $600 a year, for the next 35 years, to retire at age 65.

You will then have an extra $88,280 in your retirement account.

This means you could potentially retire one to two years earlier!

I don't know about you, but this sounds like a much better gift to me.

Best Retirement Age

When you choose to retire can have a huge effect on how much retirement you can take. This is not only related to Social Security but also your Roth IRA and/or 401(k).

With regards to Social Security, you can start getting 100% of your benefits when you are 66. If you wait until age 70, you can get up to 132% of your Social Security benefits. That sounds like a much better deal to me!

You can start making penalty-free withdrawals from a Roth IRA or Traditional IRA when you are 59 1/2. You can continue to contribute to these plans until you are 70 1/2, if you still have earned income until then.

Even though you can start withdrawing that early, it seems like it makes more financial sense to wait until age 70 to begin retirement. Especially, if you are counting on Social Security being a large factor of your retirement plan.

Where You Live Matters

When you do get to the point that you've decided to retire, where you choose to live does matter. It actually matters a lot! This is due to the fact that there are 37 states that do NOT tax social security income. Yes, you heard me correctly!

What this means to you, is that if you want more bang for your buck when you retire, then you should consider where you live. Or, better said, where you choose to live when you retire.

Don't just look at which states are social security income friendly though. You will want to take a look at the property taxes, state and local taxes and taxes on other retirement income. These aspects are crucial to the overall equation in order to maximize your benefits in retirement.

Benefit Yourself

Overall, what you do now with your retirement account directly impacts your future self. There are benefits of your retirement account. Whether you begin contributing more due to the new maximum contributions limits. Taking advantage of employer matching at your job, open a SEP IRA if you are self-employed, or gift your future self instead of your current self, all of these things will help you tremendously in the long run.

What you do now with your retirement accounts directly impacts your future self. Click To Tweet

If you are closer to retirement and have already made all of these great strides to get you there, then bravo! Just remember to figure out what the optimal age is for you to retire and get the most benefits, as well as pick somewhere to live that is more retirement friendly.

If you make retirement more of a regular part of your financial routine, then you will definitely be maximizing the benefits you can get from your retirement accounts.

What are some of the best ways you have found to maximize your retirement accounts?

How to Maximize the Benefits of Your Retirement Account is a post originally published on: Everything Finance - Everything Finance - Its all about Money!

[seaweedcities-blog]

photographer richmond va

fotograf "That's a fantastic snapshot, you need to have a very pleasant digital camera!" These types of will be the thought of most who don't fully realize anything at all with regards to a photography. It's approximately the same logic as saying "which had been an awesome supper, you have to have a good stove!" After having been a photographer for many years (and even marketing photography gear for some time) I've listened to this declaration frequently. Once I was marketing, customers would consistently show up if you ask me and say comparable statements. The one I most likely listened to essentially the most was "My pal Tom has a [place digicam title listed here] digicam and that he receives fantastic photos so I wish to choose the identical one. Nearly with out crash the exact same said client would come lower back a couple of weeks in the future complaining since "something needs to be improper using the digicam you distributed me as the photographs aren't as effective as Tom's." I would always reply with "could I visit your camera?" and would then inquire if they minded when i required a handful of pics. I would set the digicam either in aperture goal function or guide, adapt the options in accordance with the photograph i desired to create, press the shutter option, and then reveal the consumer the photo. They will always followup with something similar to "Amazing, that appears great, why my photos don't seem that very good?" To which I would start the very long dialogue on how I use a high-end camera as a tool to make the style I want as opposed to staying dependent upon a digicam to do all of the pondering personally. On account of peoples, typically erroneous, morals about digital photography I've determined to develop a set of 101 causes that many of us must engage a specialized wedding photographer as an alternative to based upon their "good friend using a great video camera." This list - in no particular purchase - is principally dedicated to photography but they can consist of virtually any photography. An Experienced Photographer 1. results in images, he doesn't obtain a photograph and "desire it comes down out." 2. has put in yrs studying every factor of generating a pictures. 3. is aware of which lens to use through which scenario. 4. understands how to established the camera for any constant seem no matter what place (marriage ceremony, reception, out-of-doors, and many others.) 5. understands how to effectively utilize a flash for very soft, even lighting fixtures. 6. knows when you ought to use several flashes to create a stunning landscape. 7. understands how to generate a picture appear "all natural" and not like he was with a display at all. 8. is familiar with what aperture to create his lenses to for that appear that can make you look the ideal. 9. is aware of what shutter speed to put to seize the background mild, make the sensation of activity, or freeze out an item in position. 10. will often devote a few hours retouching one photo to make sure it is best. 11. understands when to use off video camera lighting effects (strobes) to generate a particular appearance or smoothly mild a small grouping of people or maybe a space. 12. has expert equipment. 13. has expended approximately the same amount of money or maybe more for *each* camera lens that he or she manages than he did for his high-end camera entire body. 14. has several video camera body in case of devices disappointment. 15. is aware of to back up his shots to a number of places to protect yourself from personal computer crash problems. 16. has expended far more on extras Backdrops , Lighting Stands , Remote Controls for Flash , Storing Situations , Umbrellas , Tripods , Tripod Heads , etc.) than he performed on his digicam(s). 17. usually spends quite a lot of time and expense setting up a web page, advertising, and advertising. 18. will gladly commit many many hours meeting along with you, answering questions, emailing, experiencing all the info of the wedding day, scouting away position(s), and so on. to make certain that everything is performed the way you need it. 19. will talk about a "photo record" with you to ensure nothing, or no one receives overlooked. (You are aware that you've have an uncle Joe, on the other hand shooter doesn't until you explain to him.) 20. will probably be expert about getting shots of your precious bride and bridesmaids as they are receiving completely ready. 21. is able to immediate multiple folks to be photographed to ensure that every person seems fantastic (no closed eye, yawns, men and women undetectable powering others, and so forth.) 22. won't be ingesting in the wedding party like granddad Joe. 23. is able to seize the second. (not when you're pulling out of the very first kiss but ideal since your lip area feel) 24. understands how to developed a marriage recording so it not only exhibits excellent pics, but informs a great scenario. 25. understands how to fit the hue of his display lighting to the colour of the ambient lighting (tungsten, luminescent, outside the house inside the color, and many others.) 26. maintains track of the newest trends in picture taking designs to make sure that he will be able to supply everything that a customer may well want. (feel reddish colored red wine eyeglasses by using a white and black backdrop ) 27. will keep program the most recent electronic digital croping and editing equipment to make special and unique art work that you should take pleasure in. 28. can photograph movie. 29. has been doing this ahead of. He's not on your wedding party to "practice his taking pictures" 30. will let your invitee become a guests. Granddad Joe will in fact have the ability to experience the wedding event as an alternative to getting stressed about being sure that he receives the many photographs that he or she is convinced you must have. 31. will typically invest about 5 time BEFORE the wedding in preparation, and in between 40 and 60 many hours Right after the wedding day modifying pics, producing printing, framework, creating slideshows, creating wedding day albums, confirming purchases, discussing with the lab, and so on. Do you really think you were spending numerous thousand bucks simply for 8 several hours for the wedding day? 32. sees that the normal worth of an entire wedding party is just about $20,000 knowning that the sole thing you can keep (other than the dress) will be the digital photography. 33. sees that the standard price tag allocated to catered foodstuff service is about $3000. 34. is aware that the normal cost spent on blossoms(that will finish up in the trash is around $2000 35. will be happy to allow visitors consider photos throughout the wedding. 36. will abide by all guidelines relating to flash digital photography during your wedding service. Most spots of worship will not make it possible for flash picture taking throughout the marriage ceremony. How does one get fantastic pics inside a dimly lit church with out a flash...? Hire a specialized! 37. is able to are actually excellent shots when getting unobtrusive and unobtrusive. 38. is aware of that it must be a lot smarter to economize by skimping for the blooms, foods, tunes, place, and so on. instead of to skimp on the one thing that you will have to keep from the special event (your pics). 39. is aware of what it's enjoy having a bride (who didn't retain the services of him since her granddad Joe had a nice camera)call him in tears inquiring if there is anyway they can "correct" grandfather Joe's pics. 40. has discovered the need for not keeping his clientele patiently waiting in their photographs for a few months each time. 41. will pay attention to acquiring fantastic memories rather then talking to his good friends within the wedding ceremony (eh hmm...grandfather Joe...) 42. is able to position the bride and groom (as well as bridesmaids, groomsmen, family members, and so forth.) so that you appear your absolute best. 43. is aware of what angles to take so that your pictures are definitely the most perfect. 44. is aware that the buying price of the digital camera has nothing with regards to the imaginative excellence of the shooter. 45. will "start to see the photo" long before he enhances the digicam to his eyes. 46. will get ready for as soon as beforehand so that he is ready if it comes about (the kiss, this cake having smeared inside your new hubby's face, and many others.) 47. has viewed the marriage approach often times and can be glad to work together with you (or maybe coordinator) in order that all the things should go as easy as you possibly can. 48. are going to be packed with wonderful ideas to help using your wedding above and beyond just utilizing the shots. 49. can take objectively and won't be as emotional as a member of family or good friend. 50. can seize the sentiments of everybody more in the wedding party. 51. understands how to organize and work with other experts on the occasion (ring, Disc-jockey, wedding event coordinator, minister, and so on.) 52. has a vested desire for making you search your best. Not merely you may have paid out him for his products and services but also, he understands that if you enjoy what he does you will then be advocating him to all of your friends. There's an older expressing amid photography enthusiasts that should go "when you screw up a portrait you must apologize, in the event you mess up a marriage you need to leave area" 53. is aware that you can expect to hardly ever feel dissapointed about possessing employed an experienced and obtaining skilled final results, however you will remorse, from now on, looking to "save money" and getting your buddy function as the digital photographer. 54. doesn't utilize the "auto" environment around the high-end camera. At any time. 55. knows that word of mouth is the greatest marketing and definately will make certain you are dealt with which means you propagate a very good concept. 56. can set people today at ease who aren't use to staying in front of the digital camera. 57. includes a "bag of methods" up his sleeves to produce the most wonderful expertise feasible for you and the wedding ceremony. 58. will make it exciting. This isn't a career for him, it's a interest! 59. won't just give you a Compact disk or Digital video disc of photographs directly out of your digital camera, and definitely will painstakingly go through each and every picture to professionally increase them utilizing the most recent virtual software. 60. knows about time management planning and definitely will snap in such a manner as and also hardwearing . wedding day moving easily.

[russellthornton]

How to Make Your Wife Feel Special: 50 Small Ways to Give Joy

Happy wife, happy life is all about knowing how to make your wife feel special. It isn’t in the grand, but the small gestures, that make us feel good.

Okay, I am going to let you in on a little secret. I get you. Yep, I am a woman and a wife, and I totally understand the rock and a hard place that you frequently find yourself in. And now matter how hard you try, sometimes knowing how to make your wife feel special backfires.

Wives are, well, temperamental. What we say we want and what we sometimes want can be the exact opposite, which has husbands spinning their wheels and never feeling like they can do anything right.

How to make your wife feel special

I am also going to let you in on another little secret. Your wife wants one thing, although it seems the opposite. She wants you to love her unconditionally, be happy, and make a happy home.

If you look for a way either to turn her sullen mood around or to show her gratitude for all that she does for you, there are many simple ways to make your wife feel special that doesn’t involve much punishment on your part at all.

#1 Talk nicely about her. You make your wife feel special by letting her overhear the nice things you say. A compliment is sometimes twice as nice when it is overheard and unexpected. [Read: Mushy ways to show someone you love them]

#2 Make a big deal out of the small things she does. So, she does the laundry every day, just one day make a big deal about it. It makes her feel like what she does has meaning, instead of it being mundane.

#3 Put her picture on your phone screen. Nothing makes a woman feel more special than being the picture you have on your cell phone, on your work desk, or anywhere really. Wanting our image around makes us feel like you really like having us close. [Read: 15 rules to be a good partner in a relationship]

#4 Post pictures of her to your social media pages. Forget posting what you have for lunch and post a picture of her. Include a caption to tell the world how much you love her to make her feel special.

#5 Tell her how lucky you are to have her. Let her know that you know you are lucky to have her. Not feeling taken for granted is the best way to feel special.

#6 Let her catch you staring at her. The next time you catch a glimpse of how beautiful she is, hold the gaze a little longer so she catches you looking at her. Nothing makes us feel more special than thinking you admire us even when we don’t know.

#7 Smile at her for no reason at all. We want to make our husbands happy. Show her that you are pleased with her and smile for no reason at all to make her feel like she lights up your world.

#8 Say thank you. Nothing makes someone feel more special than being appreciated. Saying “thank you” goes a super long way.

#9 Take something off of her plate for the day without being asked. Taking just one to do or errand off of her list makes her feel like a queen for a day.

#10 Open the door for her. Just because you aren’t dating, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be the chivalrous man she met.

#11 Pull out her chair. Same deal! [Read: The modern day gentleman’s guide to wooing a lady]

#12 Do a load of laundry. Yep, something so small makes someone feel super big.

#13 Get her her favorite drink before she even asks. If you go to dinner or out for drinks, get her favorite drink before you serve yourself. Putting her first makes her feel like she is something special to you.

#14 Have dinner waiting for her when she gets home. Take dinner off of her plate, no pun intended. If she is typically responsible for dinner, then text and let her know that you want to do something nice and bring dinner.

#15 Plan a night doing her favorite things. Not just entertainment if you know what I mean.

#16 Throw her a surprise party, just ‘cause. It doesn’t have to be her birthday for you to celebrate her and your love for her.

#17 Plan a weekend getaway; kids covered included. Take care of all the plans, even the kids, and have the lover’s suite waiting to make her feel fantastically special.

#18 Congratulate her for something on social media. Everyone likes to be given an “atta girl.” Use your social media site to let everyone know how proud you are of her, and she will feel like a million bucks!

#19 Make your anniversary a big friggin’ deal. Sure, it is just one more year, but let her know that you would choose her all over again.

#20 Tell her how pretty she is. When she hasn’t showered, just got back from the gym, or for no reason at all, let her know how pretty you think she is. [Read: 100 sweet things to say to a girl]

#21 Buy her something random just to let her know that you thought of her. It doesn’t have to be anything big, just something that says you are on my mind and special to me.

#22 Send her a text message with something loving. Get her revved up for an amazing night of making her body feel special. [Read: 30 hot, sexting examples to start a naughty text marathon]

#23 Skip guys night and choose her this time. Women, once in a while, like to feel like the priority. If Thursday nights are usually reserved for guys only, tell her that you are foregoing the guys and hanging with her.

#24 Instead of getting yourself something you’ve wanted, save up to get her something she’s dreamed of. If you use your money saved to spend on her, it tells her you put her ahead of your own wants, and that is a pretty powerful way of making her feel special.

#25 Finish that stupid project you promised her a long time ago. If she hasn’t said a word about the mess you made, but it inconveniences her, take the time just to finish the do-it-yourself project you started and give her some peace of mind. It makes her feel like she’s something special to you.

#26 If it is raining, drop her off in front. Instead of parking and letting her get all wet on the way to the door, let her off in front and take one for the team.

#27 Empty the dishwasher. Those little things let us know that you get how mundane our lives feel. It makes us feel more special.

#28 Show up at work to take her to lunch. Show everyone at her workplace that her husband thinks the world of her by showing up for lunch with flowers in hand. What an amazing way to make her feel special!

#29 Take the kids to the store early and bring her breakfast in bed. Make a big deal out of her and get the kids involved.

#30 Listen to her, like really listen to her. Put your phone down and listen, that makes us feel special and worthwhile.

#31 Brag on her in a group. Tell everyone in the group about all the amazing things she accomplished lately. She’ll act embarrassed but love every minute of it.

#32 Kiss her. You don’t need a reason. [Read: Foolproof kissing tips for a perfectly sexy smooch]

#33 Get her car detailed. Women don’t like to drive around in kid’s filth, but with very little time, we end up doing it. Make her feel special by giving her a clean new ride, even if for just one day.

#34 Do something without being asked. Take out the trash, get the oil changed, or just pick up your socks. That makes her feel like you get it and care how special she is to you.

#35 Give her the night off. Let her go out with her friends and have a night on the town. Getting dressed up makes every woman feel special.

#36 Buy her a new dress. Buy a sexy dress to let her know how sexy you think she is!

#37 Tell her you love her, and that if you did it all again you would choose her. Just saying “I love you” is enough to make someone feel special. [Read: 25 ways to say “I appreciate you” without using words]

#38 Let her be right once in a while without an argument. Stop arguing and just realize it is more important to be happy than right. She feels special that she didn’t have to beat something into your head.

#39 Recognize something mundane she’s done. A woman’s work is never done, nor is it ever recognized. Be that person who makes her feel special for doing nothing special at all, but what she does.

#40 Acknowledge all the many things she does behind the scenes without asking for anything in return. Tell her you know that she asks for nothing and does so much.

#41 Compliment the way that she looks when she isn’t dressed up for the night. If she has an awesome ass, say so. Compliment something about her when she isn’t expecting it.

#42 Hold her tight in bed. Wrap your arms around her instead of retreating to your separate ends to make her feel warm, loved, and special.

#43 Send the kids to grandma’s and have a stay at home evening for two. Show her how special her lady parts are by focusing some time on them. Ditch the kids, so it is all about her. [Read: 24 flirty and romantic things you should do for your girl]

#44 Tell her the story of the first time you knew you loved her, again and again. Nothing makes us feel more special than hearing about that first moment that you fell in love. Nope, we never get sick of hearing it.

#45 Never leave the house without a kiss. Make her feel special by kissing her on the way out the door. Never leave her behind without telling her how much she means and a peck on the cheek to make her feel special. [Read: The forehead kiss and why it’s so special to every woman]

#46 Before you lay your head down every night say, “I love you.” A given to a happy wife, happy life!

#47 Hold her hand. Let her know she is special and protected by holding her hand for no reason at all. Making contact out of the blue lets us know we are still special to our husbands.

#48 Tell her what a good mother she is. Being a mother is one of the most thankless jobs on earth. Let her know she is a good wife and mother regularly.

#49 Touch her softly and often. [Read: Skin hunger and the human need to touch someone]

#50 Do little things. Add a little extra to the account just for her or order her something online to show up at the door.

Knowing how to make your wife feel special isn’t about the big things, but is found in the smaller things you do. Sure, buying her a new car is super awesome, don’t get me wrong. But, sometimes just recognizing and telling someone “good job” is enough to make her feel like she is worthwhile and the light of your life.

[Read: Best husband ever! 10 gestures that make a man a bragworthy catch]

But, if you do small things on a daily basis and learn to give without expectations, you will understand how to make your wife feel special, and she’ll really appreciate you for who you are.

The post How to Make Your Wife Feel Special: 50 Small Ways to Give Joy is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.