Archives for April 2013

Catherine is a first time momma to a rambunctious toddler. When she isn’t soaking up all that motherhood has to offer, you can find her blogging over at Plunged in Debt where she chronicles her and her husbands journey out of debt. You can also follow her on Twitter.

Saving Money When You Have Kids

April 25, 2013 | 2 Comments

It’s no secret that kids can be quite the expensive investment, especially when you’re on your second or third pup. That doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to save money when you’ve got kids however. In fact, there are quite a few things you can do to keep the costs down as much as possible even with a few extra people in your home.

Bills and Utilities

More people in your home means more electricity being used up every month. It’s important to assess Texas Electricity Providers (or whatever local energy providers you’ve got) and compare the prices per kilowatt to see if you can save quite a bit of money each month on your utility bills. When you have kids it’s difficult to keep tabs on your energy consumption all the time so having a lower electricity rate will help keep costs down.

Food and Clothes

When you’ve got kids you should start looking into buying things in bulk. Buying items that you use constantly in bulk is going to be the best and most cost effective way of purchasing things. When you buy in wholesale you’ll get quite a discount on the items and it isn’t like you aren’t going to end up using them, so it’s probably your best bet for things that aren’t perishable.

As you start to spend more money when you’ve got kids, you’ll need to find ways to cut down your other expenses as much as possible. This means you’re going to have to start using coupons and looking for things that are on sale. While it might be a little difficult to get into these types of behaviors initially, you’ll find that it does tend to get easier as time goes on and once you get into the routine, you’ll start looking for sales and coupons without even thinking about it.

Furnitures and Other Goods

Look on Craigslist or eBay, or start searching for yard sales to grab stuff for a lot cheaper than you would buy them otherwise. These are great resources when it comes to finding furniture or children’s toys and more often than not, you can find things that are in quite good condition. Some of these might even be free and you can end up cutting down a few hundred dollars that you would have spent had you not gone the cheaper route.

Fun Stuff

Not all vacations or activities need to have a hefty price tag on them in order for them to be fun. You’ll find that a lot of kids can have an enjoyable time in almost every situation as long as you find ways to keep their attention, so don’t think you have to spend a ton of money for a weekend trip.

Something as simple as a day outside can mean a lot to your kids and as long as you’re spending legitimate time with them, they probably won’t mind that you haven’t gone to the latest amusement park. Try doing more home-based activities or going to attractions when they’re offered for free and you’ll end up saving a ton of cash.

Kids aren’t cheap, but that doesn’t mean they have to be necessarily expensive. There are different ways you can save money while keeping your kids happy as long as you’re conscious about what you’re doing and spend a little effort. Coupons and free items are going to end up saving you a ton of money and having fun at home is priceless.

Brian is the founder of Kids Ain’t Cheap and is now sharing his journey through parenthood.

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How to Have Family Fun on a Budget

April 16, 2013 | 4 Comments

As a parent, you want to provide your kids with the best and you are looking forward to all family fun opportunities. Sometimes, however, financial limitations stand in the way of having a good time. Having family fun on a budget is possible, as long as you are willing to put some effort into the process and to get creative. Here are several great family fun possibilities that will be almost 100 percent free.

Explore Nature

Instead of going to the cinema or to another local hotspot, start exploring nature with your children and spouse. Children today have been disconnected from nature and as a parent; you can do a lot to correct that.

A family picnic can be a great bonding experience. Pack some sandwiches, soft drinks and your favorite games. Use the day to explore nature, to show your children interesting things about plants and animals and to relax.

Avoid Popular Tourist Attractions

Stay away from the popular tourism attractions. Theme parks and other intensely advertised fun places will usually cost a fortune. At the same time, you will have to deal with a large crowd and very often, getting in will require several hours.

There are so many little known fun places in your city. You can have a city tour using public transportation buses. Show your children historic places and the most popular landmarks. You can have an entertaining history lesson and everybody is going to be having a blast.

DIY Family Fun

When you are trying to come up with something cheap to do as a family, always consider do it yourself projects.

Crafts and arts will encourage your children to fantasize and to explore their creativity. Such activities are inexpensive. Once you buy the basic supplies, you will get to use those several times.

Paint greeting cards together. Buy some clay and work with your little ones on the creation of handmade jewelry or action figures. You can even create your own board game that you will get to enjoy as a family, once it is finished.

Make Family Meals Together

Restaurant food can be of low quality and if you want to ensure healthy and delicious family meals, you will have to spend a lot of money on it. Just do a simple calculation to find out how much you are spending on eating out.

Cooking family meals will save you some money and it will also be the perfect family fun activity. Make cupcakes with your kids. You can organize a cupcake decoration contest or another fun competition that has something to do with food preparation or decorating.

Use these moments to teach kids about healthy food and the preparation of delicious and nutritional meals. Such activities will be both fun and highly educational.

Monitor Expenditure

Monitor expenditure and find out what you have been spending money on. Taking a look at the monthly spending list can provide some useful ideas about cutting down costs and discovering alternative, inexpensive forms of family fun.

Single parents should stick to fiscal discipline, though they would love to pamper their children. If necessary, work with forensic accountants to figure out what is going on in terms of spending. Such professionals like Forths Forensic Accountants will be of great assistance if you are going through a matrimonial dispute, as well.

You can have family fun without spending a fortune on it. We live in a commercial world and brands want you to think that you need to spend money, in order to be happy. Creativity and the desire to find alternatives to typical family activities will give you access to new fun possibilities. Quality family time is all about enjoying each other’s presence and trying to please your children. Being motivated to accomplish the goal will help you do it, even if you have no money to dedicate to family entertainment.

How else do you have fun on a family budget?

Brian is the founder of Kids Ain’t Cheap and is now sharing his journey through parenthood.

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Oral Care for Older Children and Adults

April 16, 2013 | Leave a Comment

Source: Free Digital Photos

To continue with April’s oral health month series, today I’m discussing oral care for older children and adults. In case you missed it last week, I did a post on oral hygiene for children and what to expect from their first dental visit.

At the office I work at, I see all walks of life. The richest and poorest of our great city. The diversification is refreshing and keeps my job interesting. Our health doesn’t discriminate based on our financial background. I see very wealthy people with terrible oral hygiene and people living in poverty with fantastic oral health. Some things are the same regardless of our socioeconomic status. Like having to care for our teeth.

The Basics of Older Children Oral Care

Good oral hygiene starts with the basics of brushing and flossing. Brush at least twice a day, floss once. Do it well. Brushing and flossing are not areas to slack. If done properly it won’t take more than five minutes total out of your entire day. A set of healthy teeth and gums is worth five minutes.

Electric toothbrushes really do live up to their hype. For the average individual, brushing with an electric toothbrush will be more effective than manual brushing.

Flossing is important. Your toothbrush is unable to reach in between your teeth where a majority of the bacteria laden plaque lives. We ask you to floss at least once every 24 hours to disturb the plaques formation not allowing it to harden into calculus (or tartar).

You don’t have to use traditional floss. Individual flossers, soft picks, tooth picks, anything that fits in between your teeth. I don’t care, just do it everyday. Before or after brushing, it doesn’t matter just do it! This is a great visual resource about proper brushing and flossing.

Caring for Orthodontics

Caring for teeth while wearing braces is a bit more of a challenge but it is more important than ever to care for your teeth. If you don’t effectively remove the plaque from the area around the brackets on your tooth’s surface, decay can happen. There is nothing worse than seeing beautiful straight teeth, and years worth of work, be overshadowed by bright white squares on the tooth from decalcification.

While there are special orthodontic toothbrushes (both manual and electric) a regular toothbrush, with a slightly modified technique will work just fine. My personal favorite tool for helping remove plaque and small food particles from braces, is an ‘end tuft’ brush. Essentially it is a tiny toothbrush but works well to get around the brackets and wires.

Once braces are removed and you’re into a retainer keeping it clean and plaque free is equally important. Rinse it in water and use a toothbrush to remove soft plaque. Bring it to all future dental appointments so they can observe how it is fitting and professionally clean it for you in their ultrasonic cleaner while you are in your appointment.

I Have No Teeth!

I have two edentulous patients who see me once a year. Just because they have no teeth doesn’t mean the may not have other issues. Unfortunately dentures are not just for older people. You would be surprised at the number of young individuals in partial or complete dentures.

Dentures need to be maintained and oral exams are very important. Even if you have no teeth, I recommend seeing a dentist once a year for a quick exam and denture fitting or adjustment.

Complete dentures need to be removed for a few hours everyday. Ideally overnight but I respect that some people, women especially, aren’t comfortable removing their teeth in front of their spouse. It can be a very self conscious thing. If you can’t remove your dentures overnight, take them out for a few hours while cleaning the house, cooking, bathing. It is important to allow your tissues to breath.

Clean dentures regularly to remove plaque and food debris.

Sports

Mouthguards are invaluable. Having a custom mouthguard made by your dentist or hygienist ensures your teeth and head are protected. I don’t think I need to explain the detriments of concussions, or the importance of having a family photo done without a gap toothed smile.

Good oral hygiene at all ages is so important for your overall health. Though starting young is ideal, it is never too late to start caring for your teeth and overall oral health!

Money saving tip: Clean retainers, dentures, mouth guards and bite plates with a regular toothbrush and mouthwash or dish soap. Rinse well!

Coupon Tips and Tricks

April 13, 2013 | 1 Comment

Money is hard to come by these days. But why sacrifice the things you need? Saving money is definitely an art that few people have mastered. You might have a budget or monthly spending plan to keep your finances on track. However, if you want to take your savings to the next level and beef up your bank account, learn how to make the most out of coupons.

Coupons are a godsend for financially strapped families. Whether you need to save on groceries, clothes, home decor or entertainment, there is a coupon to meet your needs.

1. Never shop online without a promo code. Promo codes are an excellent way to receive free shipping and discounts on online orders. Simply go online, search promotions offered by different retailers and shop according to the savings. NerdWallet coupons feature savings for practically every shopping category from health to school supplies.

2. Check online before buying in the store. Shopping locally is one way to obtain products quickly. But if your local online retailers do not have coupons and promotions, you can spend more than necessary for an item. For generic or everyday items, such as home decor, crafts and clothes, the Internet is your best bet. Let’s say you need party supplies or craft items. Rather than head to your local party store, check coupon codes for Oriental Trading and save on your purchase. You may find a coupon code to discount your purchase, letting you buy more for your money.

3. Use multiple coupons. For items that you use regularly, don’t be afraid to use multiple coupons and stockpile your food supply. For example, if you have six $1 off coupons for yogurt, go ahead and purchase six. And if you wait until the item is on sale, you’ll maximize your savings and keep more cash in your pocket.

4. Combine coupons with store sales. Watch for grocery store sales and plan your shopping trips accordingly. Call the grocery store and inquire about double coupon days, or check the Sunday’s paper for sale information. Combining a coupon with a buy-one-get-one free offer, or another discount can significantly reduce your grocery bill.

5. Combine store and manufacturer coupons. Did you know that you can use more than one coupon for a single item? Several grocery stores allow both manufacturer and store coupons. And if you know how to play the game, you can actually get cash back. Let’s say you purchase a jar of pasta for $2.50. If you have a store coupon for $1.50 off and a manufacturer coupon for $1.50 off, the grocery store will refund you $0.50.

Couponing can be a bit intimidating and time consuming. But it doesn’t take long to grasp the routine. Learn how coupons can save your family money and you’ll free up cash for more important things, such as a stronger emergency cushion or perhaps a family vacation. Get the newspaper, head online and check your mailbox. Don’t let free money pass you by.

Brian is the founder of Kids Ain’t Cheap and is now sharing his journey through parenthood.

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Oral Health Month: The First Dental Visit

April 9, 2013 | 1 Comment

Source: Mek Dental

As a dental hygienist, I get a lot of questions from parents about how to care for their children’s teeth. April being Oral Health month I decided to share some knowledge based on common questions received and what you should expect for the first dental visit and how to gear the kids up for going to the dentist.

Baby Teeth

There is a misunderstanding that baby teeth will fall out and therefore not important. WRONG. If you don’t teach your children to care for their baby (primary) teeth, what makes you think they will suddenly take an interest in caring for their adult teeth? Good habits start early.

Caring for Tiny Mouths

Before teeth erupt, wipe the inside of the mouth and gums with a damp cloth once per day.
Never put a child to bed with a bottle, especially if it contains milk, formula or juice. If your child insists on having something, water is the only option.
If the child is a thumb or finger sucker, break the habit by the third birthday or permanent damages could occur needing orthodontic correction. By this age a child can self-sooth in other ways.
Introduce the toothbrush and start using it daily as soon as the first tooth is fully erupted.
Your child only needs a tiny, thin smear of toothpaste on the tip of the toothbrush, even a ‘pea sized’ amount is too much.
If you live in an area with a regulated fluoridated water supply, fluoridated toothpaste doesn’t need to be introduced until closer to three years of age though introducing earlier won’t harm them. Just watch how much they swallow and apply only a tiny amount.
It is important that children are allowed to practice brushing but parents should always go back and check and make sure all the food and plaque is being removed properly. The rule of thumb is that until a child can tie their shoes they need supervision with brushing.
Until a child has confidently mastered brushing, hold off on flossing. I would rather they be very good at one thing than ”ok” at both. Once they are confident in brushing, introduce the flossing.

The First Dental Visit

Starting your child off on the right foot requires dental visits early in their life. While most professionals will tell you, and what I have been taught, the first dental visit should happen by ”first tooth or first birthday” whichever comes first. My professional experience has taught me differently though.

The logic behind this early visit is more for the parents. To educate on things to look out for and answer questions. Sometimes the dentist or hygienist manages to have a quick peek at the tiny teeth the baby may have, but realistically this won’t happen until two to three years of age.

For this reason, I usually tell my patients unless they have a concern, to hold off bringing their child until two to three years. While you should do whatever you and your dentist are comfortable with, until your child is old enough to sit still (either alone or on a caregiver’s lap) and allow a stranger to look in their mouth, the visit is usually not productive.

What to Expect

The main reason I like to hold off on the first dental visit until closer to three in age is that the child now has all their teeth and can interact in the appointment. After any questions and potential concerns are addressed with the parents, I like to engage with the child. Show them that coming to the dentist isn’t to be feared in any way. If I do nothing else in the appointment other than gain the child’s trust enough to convince them to return on their own terms, I’m happy and consider it a success. I don’t always get to ”clean” their teeth the first time. My primary focus is to make sure they’re comfortable and they trust me. I hate hearing stories of adults who were scarred as children and have terrible experiences at the dentist. Your job as a parent is to find a practitioner who you trust. If you like and trust them that will make your child’s life much easier.

I like to interact with the child by asking them about their teeth, how they like to brush, if mom and dad are helping, and usually ask them to show me how they do it, correcting any potential errors. Sometimes I manage to polish a few teeth but other times we just talk and do oral hygiene instruction.

Once all the teeth are erupted (between two and three). I always have a good look at the condition and health of the teeth and tissues and observe how their bite is coming together. If the parent has held off on their visit past the first birthday, this is almost always accomplished during their first appointment. By me showing them that I’m just going to have a look with a small mirror to look around, kids usually respond pretty positively and are quite proud of their little chompers.

Final Thoughts

As parents it is important to instill trust in whoever you see to treat your children. If the parent is hesitant or fearful in any way kids pick up on it! Starting good dental care early will help your kids the rest of their life.

Come back next week to learn about caring for older children and adult teeth!

Your Checklist For Finding a Good Tutor

April 4, 2013 | Leave a Comment

Homeschooling can be a great experience, but as a parent it’s also important that you focus on finding an efficient tutor for homework help. The question is, what makes a good tutor for your homeschooling needs? What characteristics should you look for when hiring one? In the following article we look into a few qualities that you should be looking for when hiring a tutor…

#1: Subject Knowledge

The first and the obvious characteristic of a good tutor is that he or she has a good grasp of the particular subject. The person you hire as a tutor for your child must have the necessary skills to help him or her understand the material. Keeping this one thing in mind will help you select a knowledgeable tutor who knows his or her responsibility, someone who will make sure the time that is put in yields satisfying results and enhances the child’s learning in more than one way.

#2: Professionalism

Let’s face it – professionalism is something you wouldn’t want to compromise on when seeking service from anyone, regardless of what business they are in. So why would you compromise when hiring a tutor for your child? First of all, you should start off by hiring a tutor from a professional and reputable site like 11plustutorsinessex.co.uk. Once you meet the tutor, regardless of what subject they are teaching, he has to be professional in every sense of the word. And how exactly do you judge that? Look at how he portrays himself to you and your child. Right from the initial consultation to the first tutoring session – you need to keep an eye on everything to judge the tutor’s professionalism so that you can decide whether to continue.

#3: Attentiveness to Your Child’s Needs

You are your tutor’s client, and it’s his job to be attentive to your needs when teaching your child. When you’re compensating someone for their service, you would obviously expect the best performance, or the very least, above average. The tutor has to be more than an instructor. He needs to be a teacher who is willing to take the right steps. Any tutor can answer your child’s questions, but a good tutor works on the underlying problem and corrects it so that your child will succeed.

#4: Common Sense

A tutor with great knowledge but a lack of common sense doesn’t make a good tutor. If you’re hiring a tutor, he needs to know how to break down a difficult subject or problem and explain it to your child in an understandable manner. Presenting theory when needed is fine, but teaching the “why” behind that theory is what’s really important. And a quality tutor knows how to do that.

Conclusion

The above qualities are most often found in tutors who want to create and maintain a good relationship with you as a guardian. Hiring a good tutor usually makes the compensation you pay worth it; after all, quality matters more than quantity.

Brian is the founder of Kids Ain’t Cheap and is now sharing his journey through parenthood.

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Funeral Insurance is More Important than You May Think

April 3, 2013 | 1 Comment

Throughout all of life’s ups and downs, there are a few things you can be certain of:

You will have to pay taxes
You will endure many changes and seasons of change as you grow older
You will eventually pass away

While death is certainly a sensitive topic to most, careful consideration should be taken to ensure your final days are spent filled with love, family and friends instead of accountants, bills and funeral directors.

With a bit of pre-planning, you can make sure all of your final arrangements are taken care of long before those emotional last hours. You can also rest peacefully knowing that your loved ones won’t be left with any financial burden by purchasing funeral insurance.

What is Funeral Insurance?

Also known as burial or final expense insurance, funeral insurance is a type of life insurance policy that covers the costs associated with your end of life arrangements. These can include everything from caskets and funeral home costs to flowers and burial plots in the cemetery.

Policies typically range in value from $5,000 to $50,000 and are left in the control of a designated beneficiary who will organize, and pay for, your final arrangements as you specify.

Tips for Buying Funeral Insurance

First and foremost, don’t purchase a policy that’s unnecessary. This may be the case if your current life insurance policy covers funeral expenses (or perhaps you already have money saved for these costs). Once you’ve identified that funeral insurance is a purchase you’d like to make, check the laws in your state and city, discuss your plans with your family, and research a few different brokerages and coverage options before committing to one.

You should also set up a meeting with a funeral director at the home you plan to have your final arrangements carried out. Also, make sure to take advantage of the “free look” period (the first 30-60 days of your policy) so you’re 100% confident this is the policy you need and like. If there’s something wrong or you’ve changed your mind, you can legally cancel the policy and get your money back!

When it’s Time to Buy

The first step of the buying process should be to have everything put into writing. Ensure that your wishes are clearly stated and the various components of your arrangements are clearly listed in the contracts. Finally, make sure all documents are signed in your presence!

Do you have funeral insurance?

Brian is the founder of Kids Ain’t Cheap and is now sharing his journey through parenthood.

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Choosing Daycare: Finding the Perfect Fit

April 2, 2013 | 2 Comments

Source: Toronto District School Board

With my return to work fast approaching, my quest in choosing daycare for baby girl is top priority. Choosing a childcare provider is one of the hardest and most thought through decisions parents make. No one would argue that the ideal candidate for proving childcare are the parents, but in today’s world, it is more common that both parents return to work after their child is born.

I consider myself very fortunate that here in Canada I’m allowed to have a full 52 weeks off after my child is born for maternity leave. Spending the first year home with her has made my choice to breastfeed possible and dealing with her sleep issues a little easier. Having it come to a close is sad. (For reference, women in the United States get 6 weeks of paid family leave and 12 weeks of unpaid family medical leave to care for a child).

Choosing Daycare Options

My husband and I sat down to discuss what type of daycare we wanted our little one to attend. Did we want a registered, licensed center with many children and providers (or employees) or did we want to find a place within someone’s home? There are pluses and minuses for both but ultimately we decided we would focus our efforts on finding a home-based care. If you’re also considering Day care in Bear, DE, or your local area, it’s essential to take your time in researching options that fit your family’s needs. Finding the right care for your child can ease the transition back to work and give you peace of mind knowing they’re in safe, nurturing hands.

The Benefits and Risks when Choosing Daycare

Both my sister and I were raised going to someone else’s home for daycare and loved it. The benefit is that my husband and I have the choice of finding a place very close to our own home, few children, more one-on-one care, and in my mind, a more natural transition from being at home all day with mom to daycare.

The downside of looking for a home based daycare is that we as parents have to be that much more careful. Though many do, a home based daycare isn’t required to abide by the same regulations as a traditional licensed center. Choosing to look for a daycare based out of someones home means we’re required to double and triple check everything. Do they have a criminal background check? Do they know child CPR? How are their references? These are just some of the many questions we’re making sure we have answered. Questions that should almost go without asking if we were looking at a licensed center.

Even with all this extra homework we decided to continue our pursuit to finding the perfect home-based daycare. If we came up empty handed we would re-direct our efforts to something else.

Jackpot! Finding the Perfect Daycare

One of the downsides of a home based daycare is that they usually don’t have much of anything in terms or advertising. They rely a lot on word of mouth or mutual contacts. I did manage to find a few who were advertising open spaces via our online classifieds, but nothing that would work for our family. Most of them were located too far from our home.

I decided to place an ad, listing what I was looking for and managed to find what we think will be a perfect place.

The home is located two streets from our house, no more than a five-minute walk. She is a former elementary school teacher, her husband a current vice principal. She decided to stay home after her youngest was born and take a few kids in to watch while at home. She has full criminal and child abuse registry checks done, up-to-date CPR and for us Canadians, offers income tax receipts. She takes a max of four children at once. Our little one will be number four, she’s had the other three for a few years now (another good sign). We’re excited that she comes from another culture and may be able to introduce experiences, food and traditions to our kiddo we otherwise wouldn’t.

Finding a place that my husband and I were comfortable with is going to make my return to work that much easier. Though it hasn’t happened yet I have solace in knowing she’ll be close to home with a trusted individual learning new things and interacting with other children. I’ll be sure to report how it actually goes after her first few days!

How did you chose the daycare for your children? Any tips for making my back to work transition easier?

Round Out Your Portfolio with Managed Funds

April 1, 2013 | 1 Comment

As most investors know, diversification is a great measure of protection from the depreciation of certain assets. If your investment portfolio is weighted heavily in stocks and the market takes a downturn, so does your balance. But if your investments are spread out among various securities, the loss in value of one can often be offset or lessened by the stability and/or growth of others.

What is a Managed Fund?

A managed fund is a type of investment comprised of multiple securities (stocks, bonds, etc.) that involves the funds of multiple investors. The theory here is that with more people investing in a certain fund, the more money the fund can raise and therefore invest for profit.

Managed funds are a great choice for those who have little to invest and want to share the risk with other investors. When the managed fund profits, everyone who has invested in it shares its success. Of course, when the fund’s performance lags or takes a nose dive, everyone shares that as well so be sure you are comfortable with the idea of losing your money.

Pros and Cons of Managed Funds

As with any investment tool, managed funds have a variety of pros and cons. The benefits of a managed fund include reduced risk, professional management, convenience and even low costs of entry. Managed funds can also be a convenient way to gain experience as you learn the ropes as a new investor.

On the flip side, managed funds can have high fees, the success of the fund it at the mercy of the fund manager and there is no guarantee that money will be made. In fact, you could lose your initial investment and then some!

HOW TO MAKE MANAGED FUNDS WORK FOR YOU

If you’re interested in investing via managed fund, take note of the following tips:

Research all of your options including the company and the fund manager
Request (and read!) the fund’s prospectus before you hand over any money
Ensure you’re aware of any and all fees associated with investing in the fund—both in the short and long terms
Have a clear set of goals defined before you invest your money—what are you saving for?
Understand all of the costs associated with the investment—including taxes!
Monitor the progress of your fund (and its manager)
Make all changes via writing and save your records

Before you make any final decisions on what you want to invest in, it’s important that you also look into the stocks’ predicted growth, for example, by looking into Lucid stock price prediction you can gain a better understanding of the market growth trend and what the predicted market forecast is. Looking into these trends will help you make an informed decision. By following the above tips and using the many resources out there, you can be sure that you make a worthy investment.

Do you invest in managed funds?