Archives for September 2013

4 Tips for Saving When Moving Abroad

September 29, 2013 | Leave a Comment

So, moving is a tough activity! When I was a kid, I always dreamed of moving from one house to the next, of course always with the provision that I was moving to a progressively better house with each move. It never occurred to me then, and it didn’t really hit home until the past two years, that moving is a very involved job. And this becomes even more complicated when you have a very small budget to work with. Plus, if you’re considering moving aborad, you have some extra elements that you have to take into consideration.

Always Start Early

As soon as you have locked down your new house, start to pack up things in your current place. This should be started as soon as possible before the move. Of course, you will be scratching your head thinking, “‘how can this be done when obviously we will still need access to a lot of our things?” The answer is really quite simple. Pack all those things you hardly use first. Yes, you will have a lot of them. I consciously made the effort not to hoard things from my last move so I was surprised still at the amount of knickknacks I had managed to collect, some important, some not so much. So, start with those things. Then work your way to the move date slowly packing things along the way. You will, at some point, need professional movers to get your stuff overseas. If you pack things yourself, consider talking with the movers ahead of time to make sure that you do things correctly.

Clean and Dispose of Things

I always had three containers when I was packing, one for the stuff I was bringing with me, the other for the stuff I was donating, and the last for the stuff I was throwing away. And, again, I was surprised at how little I was actually considering bringing with me to my new abode. As I packed these now-few items, I always made sure to thoroughly clean them before packing them away. If you know me well, you would know that I HATE packing and unpacking and, in my college days, resorted to just stuffing things in boxes in a haste to get things packed, only to wince in pain at the effort required to unpack. This time, the ‘mature me’ packed carefully making unpacking much, much easier to do. How do you save here? Throwing thing away obviously lessened the amount of things I needed to cart from one location to the next. Donating things even turned out to be a helping hand. Cleaning things before carefully packing them away took away the need to thoroughly crush and clean things when they came out. So, not only was I able to save on cleaning implements, but also time and effort.

Remember, the less you pack, the more you save on moving costs to go overseas!

The Most Expensive is Not Always The Best

I do not know how it is in other countries but in mine, there are two kinds of movers- the pro’s and the amateur haulers. The pro’s will pack your stuff for you in nice, thick boxes, complete with addictive bubble wrap while you sit, watching them, sipping a cup of tea. They will also unpack most of your things for you when you get to your new place. Amateur haulers will physically lift your already-boxed items into a moving truck and then physically bring them down and place them where you want the item. That’s it. No thick box (you have to buy this yourself), and no bubble wrap. You can imagine how much the price difference is between the two. Now, if you have started your packing relatively early, and if you were meticulous with your packing, all you really need is the physically labor to lift things around and then get it to where you’re going. So, do not feel bad if you can only afford the cheapest truck. The point is getting yourself, and your belongings, from point old to point new.

Plan For When You Get There

When you move, you always end up needing to buy new things when you move in. You need to plan ahead, and make sure that you open an offshore bank account. Before you leave home, make sure that you transfer a nice sum of money to your new offshore account, and confirm that it arrived. That way, when you get to your final destination, you have cash available to purchase the new items that you’ll need for your home. Plus, having a bank account in the country you’re going can make it easier to get a cell phone and setup utilities at your new home. Do not forget that moving your money from your home country to your destination can be quite costly. As an alternative, you can use currency services for your international money transfers. Read this expat blog on this topic to learn more.

I found that if you follow these basic things, you will be able to save on so many things. You will keep to a small budget, you will save time and energy, and you will not stress out.

What is moving like in your corner of the world?

Soccer and Debt Infographic

September 29, 2013 | Leave a Comment

Does debt have you on the sidelines when you’d rather be working toward your financial goals? Shedding debt is a necessary step in unencumbering yourself in your financial life. Once done, you have much more saving power. You could be in debt for a variety of reasons and at varying degrees. The cause and amount of debt you are under can affect the strategies you should take to get out of debt. However no matter how much debt you are under, there is a way out. Whether you just have a little bit of debt and can still make payments or you have a huge amount there is a game plan for you.

If you are worried that you can’t deal with your debt on your own try talking to experts at places like Consolidated Credit to see if the can help make your payments more manageable. To determine the kind of debt you have and the possible solutions at your disposal, read through this infographic. Whether, you are at stage 1 or stage 4, Consolidated Credit is on your team.

Halloween Safety Tips

September 26, 2013 | 1 Comment

Halloween should be spooky; but certainly not dangerous. It is our responsibility as parents to always keep our kids safe; so it is very important that we don’t let our guard down on Halloween, if anything — we need to amp it up. To avoid the many risks children face while trick-or-treating, it is imperative to use common sense. Here are some Halloween safety tips that will keep your kids safe and happy during this exciting holiday.

Before You Head Out

Here are some simple tips that you can check before you head out trick or treating:

Check Out Your Child’s Costume

Be sure that there is nothing dragging on the ground that they could trip on. If your child is wearing a mask, like the Monsters University Sulley Monster Mask, make sure they can see. If the holes are too small, you can make them larger by cutting them. This is very important; kids need to be able to see where they are going and when it’s dark out, it’s just that much more difficult. Make-up is an even better alternative to a mask; especially for little ones. Be sure to select make-up that is non-toxic and hypoallergenic.

Get Your Glow On

Put reflective tape on your child’s costume, have them carry glow sticks and/or wear glow bracelets or glow necklaces. This will help them to be more visible to motorists. You’ll also want to carry a flashlight to stay safe and visible; it also helps everyone to see where they are going, so hopefully no one will trip and fall.

Talk To Your Kids

Make sure you let your kids know what is expected of them while they are out trick-or-treating. They need to be aware that they should never enter a home, there should be no running, no playing in the street, they should only go to houses where the lights are on, and they should not eat any treats before you get home and inspect everything. Also, be sure they know to say “Trick-or-Treat” — and that “Thank you” is always appreciated.

Layer Up

If it’s a little chilly be sure to put layers under your kids’ costumes. This will keep them comfortable and warm during their fun night of trick-or-treating.

Plan to Accompany Your Children

If your kids are young enough to go trick-or-treating; then they are young enough to require adult supervision. I know it might not be very “cool” for a twelve year old to have Mom and Dad hanging out, but you can be with them without being right next to them. You can just hang back a bit but still keep a watchful eye (this should only be done with older children).

Trick-or-Treating Safety

Here’s what you need to know when you’re out and about:

Let the Light be your Guide

As I mentioned before, you’ll want to carry a flashlight to help light the way, but another important thing you should do is to only walk down well lit streets. Other lights that will guide you, are house lights. Only go to homes that have their porch lights on. People have their lights off for a reason so be respectful of that.

The More the Merrier

Trick-or-treat as a group. This keeps you safer for many reasons, but the main one is, its makes you all more visible. Visibility really is the main element to having a safe Halloween. When crossing the street be sure to cross at corners and use crosswalks.

Beware of Dog

Anytime you come in contact with an animal you don’t know, you must always use caution. It is especially important to keep this mind during Halloween. Costumes can be confusing and scary to animals – dogs especially – so it is essential that you and your children are aware of this so there aren’t any unfortunate encounters.

Here are a Few More Quick Tips:

Do not go inside anyone’s house
Carry a cell phone for emergencies
Watch where you step
Don’t stand to close to Jack-o-Lanterns, since they usually contain a lit candle

Halloween Safety Tips at Home

Once you get home be sure to inspect all of the items your children have received. This means looking for any candy that may have been tampered with. Remove all choking hazards for little ones. This is especially important for parents with children under age 6. You’ll also want to monitor the candy intake; you don’t want to have to deal with an upset tummy later on. You might let the kids select a few pieces and then put the rest up. Some parents like to let their children trade in their candy for something else, like a special toy, gift card, or money. Some dentist offices offer this as well.

If you’ll be handing out candy, be sure that your pathways are clear that there isn’t anything trick-or-treaters might hurt themselves on. It’s also a good idea to lock up your pets so they don’t run out the door. Even the best behaved animals can get a little spooked, so just play it safe for everyone’s sake.

Do you have any additional Halloween safety tips?

Pinterest Inspired Family Recipes Tested!

September 24, 2013 | Leave a Comment

In the last few weeks, my bi-weekly meal plan has become, well boring. Both my husband and I have been feeling like we eat the same 10-15 meals over and over. Since meal planning is the single easiest way to keep our money in check (we’re suckers for grocery stores) I need to do it. The thought of walking into a grocery store without a list gives me near panic attacks knowing the amount of money we will end up wasting on food!

Feeling uninspired is not how one wants to enter a meal planning evening. Since I knew it had to be done, last week I turned to the internet for some inspiration. Since I love a good food picture without all the text to sift through, Pinterest was fun to browse. I picked a few recipes, ran them by the husband, bought the ingredients and gave them a shot. I’m happy to report so far we’ve had nothing but success!

Recipe 1: Taco Casserole

The first recipe we tried was Taco Casserole. I love tacos, my husband isn’t so crazy about them. He finds them messy and annoying to eat (his words). Making tacos in a casserole form seemed to be a great compromise.

What I changed: In the final steps of the recipe it calls to add shredded lettuce and tomato and then continue baking. Since I hate soggy lettuce, I instead topped the ground beef with a jar of salsa (instead of tomato) and shredded cheese, totally omitting the cooking with lettuce and tomato. I added the fresh lettuce and some sour cream when we ate it.

This was super fast, cheap and yummy. You can use whatever chip or tortilla you want in the bottom and can play with the spices. I will be making this again for sure.

Total cost: $10.98 ($1.83 per portion)

Recipe 2: Southwest Chicken Soup

The second recipe I tried was a clean-eating, two bean southwest chicken soup/chili.

I didn’t change much other than swapping pinto beans for romano beans (plus the one can of black beans). This was even easier in terms of prep considering it was a slow cooker recipe. If, and when I make this again I will use a different flavor salsa since it is the salsa that gives all the flavor. I’m thinking about trying it with a peach mango salsa next time. The hardest part of this recipe was getting my can opener to work. It made a LOT and tasted great two days later as leftovers. This recipe easily made enough for six large adult portions.

I chose to eat it with tortilla chips, super yummy.

Total cost: I lost my receipt but I think it was approximately $12.00 total or $1.50-$2.00 per portion depending on size.

We have one more recipe on dock to try next week. I’m optimistic because of all three new recipes, it’s the one the reviewed the best.

It’s easy to find excuses to not do your meal plans but meal planning, when done properly, will save your sanity and budget! If you’re feeling uninspired check out a new recipe book, website or Pinterest for some new ideas.

What Pinterest recipes do you love? Post them below so we can all share!

Are You Ready to Buy a Family Home?

September 18, 2013 | Leave a Comment

Buying a home for your family is a very exciting time. It is important that you consider all factors before making the transition though.

When hubby and I purchased the home that we currently live in, we fully expected to move eventually. It’s not a large enough home, nor is it in our ideal area. We currently live in the suburbs in a nice area but would rather not see our neighbors. What I mean is that once our priorities are taken care of (paying off debt, minus mortgage) we plan on moving further out towards the ‘country’.

Since we have considered everything we realize that this move won’t be feasible for a few years. These are things you need to consider when thinking about moving your family.

Have You Considered all Expenses?

For us, we want to have our non-mortgage debt paid off before we move again. By the time this happens we will be at max capacity of this home (nearing this point now) but have committed to paying things off before moving. This frees up money for other expenses such as larger down payment, legal fees involved with move, potential fees if we decide to build, and professional movers. We have moved twice with the help and kindness of friends and family, but there’s no way we could, or would do it again. Since our plan is to make our next move, our last move, we will be hiring professionals to do it for us. An expense but so worth it.

Consider ALL expenses before deciding to move. In our case when we move out of our current area, a second car will be a must, an added expense we can’t handle right now even with the decrease in public transit use.

Is Renting a More Viable Option?

You have to still consider if renting is a more viable option for you and your family. Home ownership is not for everyone. As long as you have a safe roof over your family’s head that’s all that matters. Some argue that rent is throwing money away but if renting means your able to live the life you want, debt-free, without property ownership than who cares?! For some, tying permanent roots down is daunting, they move often or like the idea of a swanky apartment with more amenities than a starter home. If home maintenance doesn’t interest you than don’t ever be pressured to buy.

Don’t Buy More Than You Need!

This is a tricky one. Especially if you’ve gone through the pre-approval process. You see how much the bank thinks you can afford and you’re expectations of home get out of control. Try and keep a modest list of wants and needs and be willing to make compromises if needed.

Beef Up Your Emergency Fund, Add New Budget Categories

If this home purchase will be your first, it’s time that you establish or beef-up an emergency fund. Homeownership can be a bumpy ride and stuff can go wrong. Mother nature can be a real pain in the butt and hit you when you least expect it. Make sure you have at least enough in your emergency fund to cover any insurance deductibles as well as minor home repairs.

You also need to set aside a small amount of money to new expenses such as insurance premiums and regular home maintenance repairs. If this is something that will send your budget over the edge, probably an indication that you’re not quite ready for homeownership.

Homeownership can be an amazingly fun experience but it can also be very stressful. Make sure you have everything figured out before deciding to embark on this venture, especially if there’s a family involved that you’re required to protect!

What else do you need to be ready for your family home?

Baby Swimming: What is a Swim Nappy?

September 13, 2013 | Leave a Comment

You may have heard of baby swimming already. Though what you may NOT have heard about are the *ahem* ‘little surprises’ than a baby without a swim nappy can leave behind in the pool.

One company in the UK pioneered a defensive system: the Happy Nappy Swim Nappy! (More info here).

A swim nappy is designed for use in water, primarily for babies but can be worn by adults also. They are used either underneath a bathing suit or as the bathing suit itself.

Although they can serve the purpose of containing waste for some incontinent grown-ups, swim nappies are more commonly manufactured for babies who are not capable of visiting the toilet themselves.

For parents who wish to take their infants to the seaside or a public swimming baths, investing in a swim nappy can make the experience a whole lot easier and save potentially embarrassing situations. Some public baths will actually not allow babies entry into the pool without a swim nappy for hygienic reasons.

How do Swim Nappies Work?

Normal bathing suits do not provide adequate protection from accidents. Likewise, regular nappies are not suitable for use underwater as they will soak up water and weigh down the baby. A swim nappy is designed to combat these problems.

Contrary to popular belief, their main purpose is to actually catch waste and not absorb it; a nappy like this would simply actually swell up. Urine can simply be allowed to escape as it is not sterile.

There are two types of swim nappies available for consumers. These are:

Reusable – Lined with soft, stretchy fibres, the reusable swim nappy will encourage solids to cling to the inside without soaking up waste into the material. An inner mesh layer helps with this, where fluids can escape though solids can’t. The main disadvantage of the reusable nappy is that they must be washed after each use, although this is cheaper in the long run and more eco-friendly.

Disposable – The alternative comes with disposable swim nappies that come in multi-packs and need to be thrown away after each individual use. An absorbent core is present but is designed so as not to take in too much liquid. A tight but comfortable elastic around the legs and waist are essential for containment purposes.

Which Nappy to Buy?

The size and weight of the swim nappy should be the main buying considerations; comfort for the baby is paramount along with functionality. Lycra materials and a stretchy elastic waist will make for easier changing also.

Different types of nappy are available. Think of easy they will be to put on and take off, especially if they are reusable swim nappy. Trying out different versions in store, or simply buying a range of them from various manufacturers, can help parents decide on the best nappy.

In the UK well known brands Huggies and Pampers produce swim nappies, marketed as Little Swimmers and Splashers respectively. For parents who already use them yet are still worried about any leakage, The Happy Nappy by Splash About can be purchased as an extra assistant to a regular swim nappy.

Regardless of the type of swim nappy chosen for your child, staying vigilant whilst they are in water is a good idea. Check every so often to see if the swim nappy has been used and, if it has, how well it has performed.

Do You Enjoy Taking Your Baby Swimming?

Fit Families: Being Active Doesn’t Have to Cost Money

September 11, 2013 | 4 Comments

Growing up, activity was second nature to me. I’d wake up, go outside and play until the sun went down and repeat the next day. I was involved in some organized sports, but for the most part, unless it was pouring rain there was an expectation on me to be active.

The level of inactivity in today’s general population, especially children is alarming. I live on a street full of children and I can count on one hand the amount of times I have seen them actually playing outside. While this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not involved in organized activity outside of the home, it still concerns me. Unless it is pouring rain, I make sure my daughter gets outside and explores everyday. I want activity to be ingrained in her little brain.

A friend of mine recently started complaining about how her overweight son (who is 11) was never going to lose weight because she couldn’t afford to enroll him in an organized sport. Overweight herself, she claims to be determined to not have him lead the life she has as an overweight adult. When I told her I thought ”not being able to afford organized sport” was a poor excuse, she was taken aback. And don’t even get me started on a junk food tax.

Though organized sports and activity hold many benefits in many aspects, they are not the only ways to get active and fit.

Free or Inexpensive Activities for Families

Families who are active together are generally much happier as a whole and individual parts. I can tell you I always feel much better mentally and physically when my whole family gets out together rather than being alone or even me and the little one. Having my husband present is encouraging and fun. Activity is an amazing bonding time for everyone.

Some free or inexpensive activity ideas for the whole family include:

Walking or hiking, exploring your neighborhood or local parks,
Biking
Playing in the snow, snowshoes, skiing, building snowmen are always fun.
Family sport game (baseball, tennis, soccer)
Play on the beach, running in the sand, building sand castles.
Swimming
Walk the family dog together
Rake leaves, clean the yard, garden together (for more fun jump in the leave piles!)
Play electronic games. Electronic games (Wii, xBox, Playstation) can be fun when played as a family, there are many games that encourage activity.
Run, there are many family friendly races that you could train and run together.

When activity is a component of your life, you feel better in all aspects of your life. You have more focus and are generally more organized and in a better mood. Nothing bad ever comes from being active together. Being active as a family means you are setting your children up for a healthier life than leading an inactive childhood. When children see their parents active they are also more apt to partake in activity.

Being fit a fit family doesn’t have to include fancy gym memberships or organized sports. There’s nothing stopping you from exploring the world around you and having fun while doing it!

Do you consider yourself to be active? How about your family?

Children and Computer Safety

September 4, 2013 | 2 Comments

Since having a child, I have become increasingly aware of the world around me. I can’t read the newspaper or listen to the news without something bothering me. Something that gives me a stark reminder of the world we live in. Though we parents we try our hardest to protect our children, we can’t always be with them.

With schools all over the world commencing this month, children will soon be flocking to internet resources for both school projects and sheer enjoyment. The internet is a realm that we as parents will have one of the most difficult challenges in terms of protection. We now have to worry about stuff like cyber-bullying and sickos praying on children.

As parents, it is so important that we implement computer-use guidelines early on and make sure they are reinforced.

Password and Location

I am of the opinion that passwords, especially in young children, need to be shared. We need to know what is going on with our children and computer time. If children are young (less than high school) they don’t need their own computer. Even in today’s computer driven world, a home-based family computer will do. Place the computer in a family friendly area where you can’ easily see what they are doing. Make sure it’s in a spot they can get some quite time if doing homework but not locked away in their bedroom.

There should be 100% transparency with what happens during computer time. Everything from homework to Facebook. The computer is not the place to be sharing private or personal information. Your child should have nothing to hide and gladly share all passwords with you. Children need privacy but the internet is not that place to do it. Encourage them to write in a diary or talk on the phone with friends. Make sure the understand the importance of never sharing anything private.

Limit Time

While I respect that kids need computer time for homework, kids in general spend way too much time in front of screens. Set a realistic time limit to how much screen time they are allowed per day and abide by it. Make sure children regularly engage in activities that don’t involve technology. Cooking, sports, drawing, reading, something other than retina-burning screens.

Who Do They ‘Friend’?

Facebook (and all other social media) brings a whole new level of safety concerns onto my radar as a mom. You can connect with people all over the world and quickly find out everything about them in an instant. Make sure you pay attention to your child’s social media accounts. Check in on them regularly and make sure you know who they are talking to. As a parent you should know everyone on their social media sites. If you don’t know who someone is (classmate, friend-of-friend), find out.

With the rate that technology accelerates it will be so important as parents to stay on top of everything. There’s a fine line between protecting your child and invading their privacy, but I don’t think the internet is a place where private information should be shared and children need to understand that. If guidelines are laid out early on, there will be much less resistance and more mutual respect.

What is your take on computer safety and children?

The Importance of Unplugging

September 1, 2013 | 5 Comments

As I sit here and write this post sitting beside my husband, half paying attending to him and half trying to get work done, I am reminded once again of the importance to unplug once in a while.

Today is Labor Day and we spent the weekend with our whole family. Hanging out last night and waking up to the men and children in the family preparing brunch for all the moms. It was a nice treat to sit back and be waited on for the morning. When the whole family gets together no one pays much attention to their phones, computers or iDevices. It’s nice. We play games, hang out, eat and drink but most of all, unplug.

Life Goes On

In today’s technology-littered world it is too easy to let moments, big and small, pass you by. We spend so much of our time with eyes on a screen we sometimes forget to just stop and look up.

This past Christmas, being my daughters first, I vowed to not spend any time on my phone or computer while she was awake for the whole week my husband was off. I wanted to enjoy our family time together and soak up all that the season brings. See family, watch my daughters expression when she saw the Christmas tree light up, just enjoy every. single. moment. I admit that I thought this may be difficult. What if I missed an e-mail that needed attention? What if something happened on my blog that I needed to take care of? Would my readers forget about me if I disappeared for a week? I came back in January and everything was fine. Life went on even though I had a full inbox, comments to get caught up on and blog posts to edit.

I’m bad for constantly checking my phone, twitter, e-mail and blog stuff. Admittedly, even when my daughter is in my presence. It breaks my heart when I’m in the middle of catching up on e-mails only to look up at my daughter playing and her staring at me looking for my reaction and excitement when she’s accomplished something.

Like many, my husbands cell phone is a lifeline for his job. He’s constantly getting e-mails for work, phone calls from different people and calendar reminders to get tasks done. This continues to happen after 4pm when his work day is ‘done’. It’s sometimes very important to stay connected, especially when you’re on the job search. You have to be in contact with the jobs site in case new listings are posted. You want to be able to make sure that you get your stuff in first.

A Blessing and a Curse

Technology is a great thing, we couldn’t live without it, but it’s just too much sometimes. I miss the simple times of not having that nagging feeling of needing to check my phone for notifications every five minutes. I miss eating supper with no phone, email or work interruptions. I miss being able to physically leave work and that be the end of a workday. Today’s technology allows someone to connect with you in so many ways there is no ignoring people anymore.

I love how far technology has come in the last twenty years. It amazes me what has been accomplished but it’s also too easy to let it rule your life. This past weekend was another reminder that unplugging once in a while is a good thing and certain things in life can just wait. I don’t ever get a first Mothers Day again, I wasn’t about to allow a Blackberry take away from any special moment.

Do you unplug on a regular basis?