wedding gift: cash toward

MSN Money - A practical wedding gift: cash toward a home MSN Home My MSN Hotmail Shopping Money People & Chat Sign In W eb Search: Money S earch MSN Money: Help Home News Banking Investing Planning Taxes My Money Portfolio Loans Insurance Planning Home Retirement Savings Insurance Family/College College Tools Scholarship Search College Search Resources Decision Centers Commentary Index More Tools Related Links Message Boards Print-friendly version Send this to a friend Get market news by e-mail See if refinancing works Personal finance bookshelf Find It! Article Index Finance Q&A Tools Index Site map Related Articles Marriage means updating important documents Romance can wait; first, talk cold, hard cash Tie the knot without busting your budget Related Resources Decision Center: Essential homebuying guide Decision Center: Love, money and marriage See if youre carrying too much debt Stay at home or work? Try our calculator Related Sites Bankrate.com The Basics A practical wedding gift: cash toward a home advertisement If anyone asks what you want for a wedding present, you might try 'cash for a down payment.' Its legal, if you follow the rules, and asking for cash even meets the Emily Post test for politeness. By Bankrate.com June is the busiest month for weddings, and a forest's worth of invitations either already has been mailed or soon will be sent. A lot of couples want money for wedding gifts. A wedding-day cash infusion can make putting a down payment on a home easier. With prices appreciating rapidly in much of the country, lots of couples need all the help they can get. There are formal and informal rules governing gifts of money to help newlyweds buy a house. First, the informal rules: Is it OK to ask one's wedding guests for money? "It's not rude to request money as a wedding gift," says Peggy Post, author of Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette. "However, it's extremely important to ask politely." Peggy Post is Emily's great-granddaughter-in-law, the wedding etiquette expert for WeddingChannel.com and the main spokesman for the Emily Post Institute. She says one of the most common challenges that couples face is how to request money as a wedding gift. Doing so is acceptable, if done politely. If you seek down-payment money, get the word out through family and friends, Post recommends. Just don't include that info in the same envelope as a wedding invitation. "If you are asked point-blank what you would like for a gift, you might say, 'Whatever you choose will be wonderful, I'm sure, but money for a house down payment is on the top of our wish list,'" Post says. It's OK to say what it's for Go ahead and tell people what you want the money for. Who knows? If you let people know that you plan to spend the money on a down payment, rather than on a honeymoon in Tuscany, they might be more willing to open their pocketbooks. Wedding guests who insist on giving you yet another toaster or wicker picnic basket or a set of rosewood corn holders should be thanked anyway, even though they aren't helping you buy a house. "You should always accept any gift graciously, and remember that the choice of what to give really belongs to the gift giver," Post says. With the etiquette question out of the way, that brings up how to get the money from your guests' pockets and into the hands of the folks who eventually sell you their house. It's not simple, because mortgage loan programs have differing rules on the use of gift money in making a down payment. So know the gift rules Generally, you are expected to be able to make a down payment of at least 5% from your savings, excluding gifts. But what if you are too impatient to wait that long? Some mortgage programs allow you to use gift money if you can't scrape together that 5%. Loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration allow you to use money from gifts to make a down payment of as little as 3%. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two biggest purchasers of home loans, offer similar programs through lenders. Fannie Mae's program is called "Flex 97" and Freddie Mac's is called "Alt 97." If there is a problem with these loan programs, it is that they limit whose money you can use. The FHA, Fannie and Freddie allow you to use money from family members. In the FHA's case, givers have to be members of your "immediate family." It's up to the loan officer to figure out who is family and who is immediate family. What about friends? Can you use gift money from, say, the woman who has been your mother's best friend since kindergarten? Technically, no. The money has to come from family (or from a nonprofit or government agency, but they don't give wedding gifts). It wasn't always this way. In 1996, the FHA encouraged lenders to offer "bridal registry accounts," where couples could stash gifts from friends and family. "Then, when the newlyweds purchase their new home, the money will be available and documented through a lender-supervised account," the FHA said. A few lenders responded enthusiastically, establishing account programs specifically for newlyweds complete with gift cards that could be returned to the bank with a check enclosed. One such lender is SunTrust Mortgage, a subsidiary of SunTrust Banks. Through SunTrust Mortgage, you can open a bridal registry savings or checking account at SunTrust Bank. When a wedding guest makes a deposit, the bank sends a card to the bride and groom to let them know. Ready to find a mortgage? "When they're ready to go ahead and make that first home purchase, they access those funds and we get a mortgage for them -- and we hope they remain a SunTrust banking customer," says Cheryl Nolda, senior vice president of marketing for SunTrust Mortgage. In the last few months, about 500 brochures have been given to prospective couples, Nolda says. The lender usually sees an upsurge in interest in the two months before June and October, which tend to be the busiest months for weddings. Despite their success at SunTrust, bridal registry accounts never really caught on. You can always open a regular old savings or money market account to hold your down payment fund, but you might need to document where the money came from. That's easy enough when the money comes from your paycheck. If some of the money comes from gifts, be prepared to document the source. Encourage gift-givers to give checks from their personal accounts. And don't forget to write those thank-you notes. Editor's Choice 3 legal papers you can't live without Your own business, your tax shelter Brush: The 5 most overpaid CEOs Are seniors gambling away retirement? Cut your taxes by going solar Readers' Choice Ratings Top 5 Articles 9.34 Zombie debt collectors dig up your old mistakes 9.33 10 ways to stop identity theft cold 9.31 10 ways to avoid outrageous hospital overcharges 9.22 The tricks and traps of debt consolidation 9.17 Safeguard your Social Security number View all top rated articles More Resources · E-mail us your comments on this article · Post on the Your Money message board · Get a daily dose of market news S earch MSN Money tips advertisement MSN Money's editorial goal is to provide a forum for personal finance and investment ideas. Our articles, columns, message board posts and other features should not be construed as investment advice, nor does their appearance imply an endorsement by Microsoft of any specific security or trading strategy. 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birthday present! A guide

Amazon.com: So You'd Like to... Buy me a birthday present! Your Store See All 31 Product Categories   Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help Improve Your Recommendations | Your Amazon Home | Your Profile | Learn More Search Amazon.com Books Popular Music Music Downloads Classical Music DVD VHS Apparel Yellow Pages Restaurants Movie Showtimes Toys Baby Computers Video Games Electronics Camera & Photo Software Tools & Hardware Office Products Magazines Sports & Outdoors Outdoor Living Kitchen Jewelry & Watches Beauty Gourmet Food Beta Musical Instruments Health/Personal Care Travel Cell Phones & Service Outlet Auctions zShops Everything Else Scientific Supplies Medical Supplies Indust. Supplies Automotive Home Furnishings Lifestyle Pet Toys Arts & Hobbies Web Search So you'd like to... Buy me a birthday present! A guide by James B Mcdaniel ,Very Needy Lifetime College Student E-mail this guide to a friend Dead Like Me - The Complete First Season Buy new : $37.47 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Smallville - The Complete Second Season Buy new : $44.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Survivor - The Complete First Season Buy new : $29.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See all products As summer fades and, in parts of the country other than where I live, temperatures begin to drop, the nations collective consciousness inevitably turns to one thing...the biggest thing to happen to America in decades...the one event that changed all of our lives forever...Thats right, you guessed it -this september we celebrate the anniversary of 9-25, the day the world was graced with the presence of myself, James McDaniel. I am sure many of you are wondering just what you can do to observe this most hallowed of occasions. A nice card, a kind word, and a warm smile are all things that would be much appreciated...BY SPINELESS LIBERAL KERRY SUPPORTERS! As for me, I am in need of goods and services! What do you get the guy that knows everything you may wonder? Well here is a loose (read: very specific) list of the things I most wish for this holiday (9-25 - Xmas) season. While I am not as big a fan of television as I used to be, my very favorite show right now is DEAD LIKE ME. It is very hard for me to catch it as it comes on showtime (which I do not get). The first season 'Dead Like Me - The Complete First Season' just came out on DVD and I am dying to get it, though it is pretty hard to find in actual stores. Two others I would like to have are Smallville: season 2 'Smallville - The Complete Second Season' and the first season of SURVIVOR 'Survivor - The Complete First Season' Everyone knows I am a huge music fan, and here are some albums that I would gnaw through a dirty sock to get my hands on! 'Impossible Dream' 'Identity Crisis' 'Revenge of the O.C. Supertones' 'Achilles Heel' 'Unearthed' 'American III: Solitary Man' 'Unchained' 'American Recordings' 'The Fashion Focus' Now we come to my absolute favorite catagory! BOOKS! These four books are absolute must haves! I dont know when I will get them, but I will someday! They are HARDCOVER editions of the first four books in Stephen King's DARK TOWER series. I have these books in softcover trade paperbacks but desperately want the hardcovers as they have added bonuses such as artwork etc that the softcovers do not. Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger 'The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, Book 1)' Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three 'The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, Book 2)' Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands 'The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, Book 3)' Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass 'Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, Book 4)' Other than these I would love subscriptions to Entertainment Weekly or COnsumer Reports! Products mentioned include: 1. Dead Like Me - The Complete First Season DVD ~ Ellen Muth Average Customer Rating: List Price: $49.96 Buy new : $37.47 You Save : $12.49(25%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $29.00 2. Smallville - The Complete Second Season DVD ~ Tom Welling Average Customer Rating: List Price: $59.98 Buy new : $44.99 You Save : $14.99(25%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $33.99 3. Survivor - The Complete First Season DVD ~ Jeff Probst Average Customer Rating: List Price: $49.99 Buy new : $29.99 You Save : $20.00(40%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $24.95 4. Impossible Dream ~ Patty Griffin Average Customer Rating: List Price: $18.98 Buy new : $13.99 You Save : $4.99(26%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $13.23 5. Identity Crisis ~ Shelby Lynne Average Customer Rating: List Price: $18.98 Buy new : $18.98 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $5.97 Club price : $9.99 6. Revenge of the O.C. Supertones [Enhanced] ~ The O.C. Supertones Average Customer Rating: List Price: $17.98 Buy new : $17.98 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $5.97 Club price : $9.99 7. Achilles Heel ~ Pedro the Lion Average Customer Rating: List Price: $13.98 Buy new : $13.98 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $7.81 8. Unearthed [Box set] ~ Johnny Cash Average Customer Rating: List Price: $79.98 Buy new : $71.99 You Save : $7.99(10%) Availability: Special Order Used & new from $57.74 Club price : $57.49 9. American III: Solitary Man ~ Johnny Cash Average Customer Rating: List Price: $18.98 Buy new : $13.99 You Save : $4.99(26%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $9.98 10. Unchained ~ Johnny Cash Average Customer Rating: List Price: $17.98 Buy new : $9.99 You Save : $7.99(44%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $9.12 11. American Recordings ~ Johnny Cash Average Customer Rating: List Price: $17.98 Buy new : $13.99 You Save : $3.99(22%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $7.99 12. The Fashion Focus ~ Starflyer 59 Average Customer Rating: Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Used & new from $4.92 13. The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, Book 1) by Stephen King, Michael Whelan Average Customer Rating: List Price: $25.00 Buy new : $16.50 You Save : $8.50(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 2 to 3 weeks Used & new from $9.49 14. The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, Book 2) by Stephen King, Phil Hale Average Customer Rating: List Price: $35.00 Buy new : $23.10 You Save : $11.90(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $11.50 15. The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, Book 3) by Stephen King, Stephen King Average Customer Rating: List Price: $35.00 Buy new : $23.10 You Save : $11.90(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $8.19 16. Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, Book 4) by Stephen King Average Customer Rating: List Price: $40.00 Buy new : $26.40 You Save : $13.60(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $13.30 Create your own guide! See the Best Guides Top 100 So You'd Like to... guides Search So You'd Like to... guides More about James B Mcdaniel Add to Favorite People Related So You'd Like to... Create a guide Explore the Deeper Nuances of The Dark Tower : A guide by mirable, librarian and Dark Tower Fan Read the Gunslinger Books in Order of Rockin-ness : A guide by Colin "The Ninja Guy", Saw "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"? become a Dark Tower junkie : A guide by David Piwinski, Student (and Constant Reader) Learn About Stephen King : A guide by Rocky Wood, Stephen King Expert Experience the best books, manga, anime : A guide by animedude18, wicked artist Get ultimate action, anime, manga, books : A guide by whitelephant, everything anime and manga know what the Dark Tower is all about? : A guide by Eric, Dark Tower Junkie Create a guide Related Listmania! Add your list Stephen King's DARK TOWER: an essential reading list A list by Austin Lacher, life-long exegesist and SK fan "Dark Tower" Books to Read A list by Jim A. Koclanis, A Stephen King Fan All the Dark Tower Book So Far A list by touchofike, College student Add your list Where's My Stuff? • Track your recent orders . • View or change your orders in Your Account . Shipping & Returns • See our shipping rates & policies . • Return an item (here's our Returns Policy ). Need Help? • Forgot your password? Click here . • Redeem or buy a gift certificate. • Visit our Help department . Search People Purchase Circles All Products for Top of Page Amazon.com Home | Directory of All Stores Our International Sites: Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | Japan | France  | China Contact Us | Help | Shopping Cart | Your Account | Sell Items | 1-Click Settings Investor Relations | Press Releases | Careers Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice © 1995-2005, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

Gifts for Women Home

Gifts for Women - Women's Pajamas Your Cart Contents: Get coupons, offers, and new product information by email. Shipping Rates Size Chart Home Women's Pajamas Gifts for Women Home Gift Ideas Gifts for Women Gift Ideas for Women Gift Ideas -- Nightshirts, Pajamas, Pajama Pants, and Slippers Our selection of gift ideas for women includes Wonder Woman nightshirts, flannel pajamas, pajama pants, and slippers for women. Sort By: Name Price Page: 1 2 Next Cowgirl Flannel Pajamas for Women $14.99 Curious George Blue Heart Slippers for Women $12.99 Famous Name Polar Bear Flannel Pajamas for Women $24.99 Famous Name Royal Blue Cat Flannel Pajamas for Women $24.99 Fuzzy Bunny Slippers $14.99 Giraffe Animal Slippers $14.99 Harve Bernard Pink Striped Capri Pajama Pants Price: $12.99 Sale Price: $9.99 You save: 23% Harve Bernard Rose and Butterfly Cotton Knit Pajamas for Women $19.99 Love Slippers $14.99 Pink Love Slippers $14.99 Sort By: Name Price Page: 1 2 Next Home Women's Pajamas Gifts for Women Home Gift Ideas Gifts for Women Related Products Pajama Sets | Flannel Pajamas | Hanes Her Way Sleepwear | Christmas Pajamas for Women | Pajama Pants | Pajama Shorts -- Women's Boxer Shorts | Bath Robes | Nightshirts and Nightgowns | Gifts for Women | Women's Sleepwear Clearance Section | Mens Boxer Shorts | Mens Pajamas | Mens Big & Tall Boxer Shorts | Mens Big & Tall Ts | Animal Slippers | | Bunny Slippers | Womens Pajamas | Womens Slippers | Plus Size Pajamas | Pajama Pants | Flannel Pajamas || Boys Sleepwear | Boy's Slippers | Toddler Boy Pajamas | Girls Sleepwear | Girls Slippers | Toddler Girls Pajamas | Toddler Pajamas | Infant Pajamas | Baby Pajamas | Childrens Pajamas | Childrens Sleepwear | Size Chart | Clearance | Gift Ideas || Affiliate Program | Privacy Policy | Site Map | Get Coupons | Email: info@crazyforbargains.com | 2005 Crazyforbargains.com What Our Customers Say: "FAST shipping, awesome product. I was extremely happy..." Rebecca, WA Gifts for Women

college gifts always include:

Looking for a College Gift Basket or Survival Kit? Try a Barrels of Fun College Survival Barrel! Looking for a College Survival Gift Basket or Study Break Gift? Try a College Survival Barrel! Themed Barrels Anniversary New Baby Birthday Camp Survival Candy Cards Coffee Lovers College Survival Congratulations Corporate Divorce Father's Day Get Well Golfer Halloween Holiday House Warming Human Resources/ Recruiting Meeting Gifts Mother's Day Patriotic Secretary's Day Schmooze Sorry Sports Fanatic Stress Relief Teacher Gifts Thank You Travel Valentine's Day Wedding Welcome Whatever Yoga Corporate Programs Guest book Calendar Order Form HOME C ollege Survival & Back-To-School Gifts shown above: Swing Bin Gift College Survival Swing Bin Brightly Colored Swing Bin (great for storage, or refuse!) filled with fun and delicious: a clock with feet, a computer bug clip, an excuse ball, a swinging monkey, IQ puzzle, stressed out person stress ball, keep smiling note pad, lip whistle, sniff tissues, floppy disc, bubble gum meter, cell phone air freshener and plenty of snacks (healthier options available) and candies to keep your student going! This bin is decorated with colorful ribbons. This bin as listed is $50 plus shipping. The Swing Bin can be done at $25(Swing Bin A), $35 (Swing Bin B) and $50 (Swing Bin C). Please call us to customize your swing bin @ 1.800.536.7386. Or share with us your recipient's hobbies and interests on the order form and your bin (or barrel) is automatically customized! To order the bin, go to the alternative gifts portion of the order form. 12 Month College Option The 6.5 gallon barrel shown here is Great for the bunch of them! $125 plus shipping Our college gifts always include: munchies and comfort foods (healthy or not-so-healthy!) stress relief toys, and items related to their hobbies and interests. The "12 month option" can be any combination of barrel sizes; prices will vary accordingly. We have no minimums, so consider this one month or occasion at a time! For the college or boarding school student we have the "12 month college option". Each month (or the months you choose) we will send a unique college gift in a barrel or swing bin! In any size. It is the perfect survival kit to help your student get through exam time Whether it's freshman orientation, midterms, final exams or "just because", give us the dates and we'll do the rest. 2 Gallon College Survival Barrels of Fun $55 plus shipping Monster Tailgate Gift Consider this Monster Tailgate Gift for your sports fans or concert goers College Kid! This is a 64 ounce insulated monster mug with a zipper compartment, mesh compartment and clip. We can fill this mug with a Sports Illustrated Trivia Game, Nuts, Cell Phone Air Freshener, Lemonade Mix, Sportball bungee, Finger Fright, Saltwater Taffy, Bottled Water and M & M's. As is this Mug sells for $25 plus shipping. We customize all of our gifts, so go the secure order form and use the customize section to let us know your kids interests. Barrels of Fun Barrel sizes! Barrels of Fun come in many sizes! From left to right: half gallon $25, 1 gallon $35, 2 gallon $55, 3.5 gallon $85. six gallon $125. [ Corporate ] [ Guest Book ] [ Calendar ] [ New Products ] [ Order Form ] [ Home ] BARRELS OF FUN 47 G North Plains Industrial Road Wallingford, Ct 06492 (Phone) 203-265-7740 (E-mail) barrels@barrelsoffun.com

Shower Gift Ideas, Unique

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