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Guest Post: Getting Right with Credit Cards in the New Year

January 8, 2012 By 3 Comments

So this article was submitted as a guest post and I wanted to add a few points here and there so they’ll be in italics. One of my biggest spending habits was a daily coffee addiction. Cutting that out saved me a TON of money.

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Getting Right with Credit Cards in the New Year

Credit card debt is one of the biggest financial problems facing numerous households in America, and for many, their New Year’s resolution this year is getting their financial house in order. The average household is burdened by nearly $16,000 in credit card debt – that’s a substantial amount of cash that could be put towards college tuition, a mortgage, or a new car.

We have more debt that than and we even had WAY more debt than that the year before. I actually thought the average was even higher.

To get their finances under control, many have vowed to get their credit cards under control. So if you are one of these households that are trying to limit their credit card usage to a healthy limit in the New Year, consider trying some of the following:

Limit the Number of Cards You Use

or don’t use any yep, my crazy idea!

Don’t use every single card you ever applied for as doing so is a great way to have out of control spending and one too many bills to pay at the end of each month. Instead, stick to using the cards that offer rebates, such as a cash back credit card, or a card that doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee while traveling. Also, try to stick to using the cards that you have the longest established line of credit with. These cards most greatly impact your credit history, and will keep you looking while a worthwhile lender.

Pay Balance Off Each Month

if you choose to use credit cards you must do this one, pay them off!

To avoid paying for high interest, make sure that you pay off your credit cards each month. Doing this will not only keep you from overspending on your credit cards, but it will also help you keep positive credit lines. In addition to the moneysaving perks, doing this will keep your debt-to-income ratio low which can help you obtain better rates for home and car loans in the future.

Re-Evaluate Spending Habits

Often, those charges that make their way on to our credit cards are frivolous. We charge that fancy coffee we don’t need or that new dress that looked so cute on the mannequin but has sat in our closet ever since. You know the types of purchases I am talking about. On occasion we charge necessary, emergency expenses such as a new transmission for the car, but if you are able to actually consider the typical purchases you make with your cards, you may be able to actually limit your charges to necessities only.

Getting your finances under control will most likely not be an easy task, but doing so will definitely improve your overall quality of life in the future. While it may require you to limit your shopping sprees or start making your coffee from home, better managing your finances will give you the extra money you need in your pocket to save for bigger expenditures – such as your kids’ college funds.

 

 

Thank you to Amanda for submitting this guest post.

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Making Snack-Time Fun

July 15, 2011 By 10 Comments

Today I have a very special guest, Christine Coppa. I’ve had Christine on my blog before, we had a fun video interview and she was quite delightful with her wonderful snack time advice. Today she is leaving us with some more wonderful Snack Time Fun with these great tips.

Making Snack-Time Fun

imageHi, I’m Christine Coppa. You may know as a Yoplait Kids Yogurt Spokesperson, the Mama’s Boy blogger on parenting.com and the author of Rattled! (Broadway Books, 2009) I am excited to be here and share my tried-and-true tips on how to make snack-time fun!

1. It’s summer! The sun is shining and the weather is warm. You know what that means—picnic-time! My son JD, who turns 4 soon, and I love to eat snacks outside. He spreads his Toy Story beach towel on the grass and we munch on fresh grapes, peach slices and pretzel sticks. All of these snacks are awesome “dippers” for Yoplait Kids Yogurt. JD loves to drive a peach slice into Vrrroom Vrrroom Vanilla yogurt and gets a real kick out of seeing his buddy, Lightening McQueen, on the cup. Since Yoplait Kids Yogurt has 25% less sugar than other kids’ yogurts, I’m all for it (And I eat it, too!).

2. Something else that makes snacking fun is making it colorful. JD and I love to go on kitchen scavenger hunts for rainbow-themed snacks (great time-killer on rainy days, too!). We’ll grab orange baby carrots, red strawberries, yellow cheese crackers, purple grapes and even black olives (that JD loves to pop on his fingers and eat one-by-one!) This is also an awesome way to sneak a color lesson in, too.

3. No one likes to eat alone, so even if you’re not hungry, pour yourself a glass of iced tea and sit down with child while he eats his snack. You deserve a break and your child deserves the company!

For more info on me and to view the Yoplait Kids Yogurt Snack Chat series, visit ChristineCoppa.net and be sure to check out Yoplait’s Facebook page for news and special offers.

 

How do you make snack-time fun?

Christine Coppa is a guest of MomStart thanks to MyBlogSpark on behalf of Yoplait.

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How To Cook Fresh Fish at Home & Homemade Salmon with Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

March 9, 2011 By 5 Comments

A friend of mine was reading my blog and saw that I’m terrified of cooking fresh fish. Wanting to rectify my dilemma she wrote an excellent piece on how you can cook fresh fish at home and included a Homemade Salmon with Sweet Potato Fries recipe. She also gave me permission to reprint her article to share it with my readers. So Here is Angie’s advice on how to cook Fresh Fish at home.

I recently read in my friend Louise’s blog that she didn’t cook fresh fish at home. In the same week I spoke with at least 3 other friends who said a similar thing about being intimidated by cooking fish or thinking that cooking fish would stink up your house. I think I even remember my mom saying that to me a while back when I said I’d made salmon for dinner. Well, I want to set the record straight right here and now! Cooking fish is easy and it does not stink up your house if you do it right! Let’s address these issues one at a time.

1. Myth: Cooking fish will stink up your house. There are two things you can do when handling and cooking fish that will leave you with a smelly kitchen. Follow these steps and you won’t have that problem. The first rule of a non-smelly kitchen is to remove the wrapper that your fish came in and put it in your outside trash. Most smell from fish comes from the wrapper in your trash can. The second rule is never fry fish in your house! I grew up in the south, and know that there’s nothing better than fried fish. But like we do it in the south, have your fish fry outside, not in your house.

2. Myth: Cooking fish is hard and should be left to professionals in restaurants. If you can turn on your oven, you can cook fish. The key to cooking good fish is to not over cook it. I’ve cooked both farm raised and wild salmon and have found that the wild salmon needs less cooking time. As long as you watch the clock and take your salmon out of the oven at the right time or even a little early you’ll have a delicious, healthy dish.

I tend to be more of a naked cook, meaning that I don’t like a lot of sauces or embellishments on a good piece of meat or fresh veggies. We eat a lot of steamed or roasted veggies with little more than salt and pepper on top. The same goes for a nice piece of meat or fish. That said, below is a recipe for salmon with a simple sauce for those of you who prefer toppings on your fish. Along with that is a recipe for very simple sweet potato fries that my kids love! Speaking of kids, a family member said the other day that kids don’t like fish. Well, I beg to differ! Salmon is one of my daughter’s favorite foods. Maybe it’s because we live in the Pacific Northwest, but fish is not an icky food in my house; quite the opposite.

Hopefully some of you out there who believed Myths #1 and #2 above will give this recipe a try and see how easy it is to prepare your own fresh, healthy, tasty fish in your own home!

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Salmon Fillet with Dill Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon fillet (preferably wild, but farm raised is ok)

1/4 C prepared ranch dressing (organic preferred)

1 Tbs prepared Dijon mustard

1 tsp dried dill weed

(if you prefer a crunchy topping, you can mix in a few Tbs bread crumbs to the sauce)

Directions:

1. Run your hand across the top of the fillet to make sure there aren’t any bones. If you feel a bone remove it with your fingers or a pair of pliers used in the kitchen.

2. Mix ranch dressing, mustard and dill in a small bowl. Mix in bread crumbs if you are using them.

3. Place fillet skin side down on a greased cookie sheet. spread mustard mixture evenly over top of fillet.

4. Place fillet in an oven preheated to 350 degrees and cook for about 15 minutes for wild salmon and 20 minutes for farm raised or thicker fillet. Salmon should flake easily with a fork when finished.

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Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

1 large organic sweet potato (red or white sweet potatoes are ok, red are sometimes called yams in the grocery although they really aren’t yams…but that’s a story for another time)

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 gallon zip top bag

Directions:

1. Cut sweet potatoes into sticks that are fry sized making sure that no stick is more than about 1/4 inch thick in either direction.

2. Put fries into zip top bag then add oil and salt. Squeeze out all the air and zip the bag. Squish potatoes around until they are well coated with oil and salt.

3. Pour potato sticks onto a cookie sheet or baking dish in a single layer then roast for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees turning sticks over half way through cooking.

Angie is in my MOMS Club and has been a great friend who helped me in my greatest time of need just by being part of MOMS Club. She blogs at Angie’s Suburban Oasis often about recipes, volunteers for MOMS Club and at her kids’ school. She also finds time to write the occasional bit of code for a local community college.

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National Wear Red Day

February 4, 2011 By 5 Comments

A Guest Post by a friend of mine, Lisa Hwang

Friday, February 4th is “National Wear Red” day, promoted by the American Heart Association. In the past, this day has come and gone without any particular significance for me. This year is different. You see, my dad had a major heart attack in May that left him on life support for several weeks. But I am one of the lucky ones – my dad survived. He is still working on recovering from his “heart adventure”, but is getting stronger every day. I am very proud of him – I always have been. I am elated my dad will be here to walk my little sister (Okay, she’s 30 – don’t tell her I told you.) down the aisle in a few weeks.

After HospitalNow…my dad was only 56 years old. He wasn’t a “nut and berry” type of eater, but watched his weight, ate well, and exercised moderately…he wasn’t your typical heart attack victim. He regularly visited his general practioner, but not a cardiologist. It was a shock to see my healthy, vibrant dad suddenly so, so sick.

While lots of my friends know about my dad, many do not know about my aunt – my dad’s sister. She had her first heart attack a year prior to my dad at the age of 47. She also survived her heart attack and has made important changes in her life to improve her health.

So…it is clear to me that heart disease is in my bloodline. I am 33 years old. I am a mother to my two-year-old daughter and am expecting my second daughter in July. I am married to my high school sweetheart and have no plans to leave this earth in the next 15 years, God willing. So what am I doing to keep myself heart-healthy?

First, I went and saw a cardiologist. I had my cholesterol and blood sugar checked. I also had a non-invasive ultrasound of the carotid arteries in my neck to check for early plaque build up. I paid about $200 out-of-pocket for these services since it is strangely not considered “preventive” for my age bracket – whatever, it was worth it for me to pay. I pay attention to the amount of sodium we eat. I try to have at least one “veggie” on my plate for every meal. I drink lots of water and I exercise. Like most mothers of young children, I am constantly learning how to fit consistent and effective exercise into my day. Some weeks are better than others, but my reason for doing so is greater than looking better in my jeans – I have other genes I am battling.

Secondly, I am now involved with my local chapter of the American Heart Association (AHA). We are working to spread awareness about heart disease, particularly in women.
Here are some startling facts I learned from the AHA:

  • Heart disease is the NUMBER ONE killer of women, taking the life of 1 in 3 women each year.
  • More women die of heart disease than the next 4 causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.
  • 90% of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
  • 80% of cardiac events in women may be prevented with heart-healthy decision-making.

So, what can you do to help prevent heart disease?

  • Wear red on Friday, February 4th to promote awareness
  • Make healthy decisions (eat well, move more, stop smoking/reduce alcohol)
  • Know your numbers (cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose)
  • If you live in the Puget Sound area, come to a “Go Red Connect” event on Saturday, February 5th at Macy’s in Bellevue Square. I will be there. Come say hi! I’d love to see some friendly faces!
  • Visit the “Go Red for Women” website at www.goredforwomen.org. There are TONS of resources there and you can register for your red dress pin to support the cause!
  • Lastly, tell a friend. By sharing our stories with each other, we may be able to change a life.

Jadie and MeI hope my story has inspired you to do something new. Together, we can stop preventable heart disease in our lifetime.

Wishing you a heart healthy day,

Lisa Hwang

About Lisa:

Lisa is a member of the Local MOMS Club chapter near where I live. She is on the board of MOMS Club as the Newspaper editor, and as she mentioned above a member of the local chapter of the American Heart Association. As an ambassador for the local chapter of American Heart Association she is educating others on the importance of getting regular health checks.

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Guest Blogging, What’s your take?

November 2, 2010 By 11 Comments

mondaymingleI’m a little late with my Monday Mingle this week but here it is better late than never I say.

This week’s questions (submitted by Alexes from One Cluttered Brain):

1. What is your favorite way to spend your time during the day?
2. What do you think about guest posting on other people’s blogs? Have you ever done it before? Did you like it?
3. What is the craziest item in your purse??

Do you do guest blog posts?

(just a fair warning, this is a random blurb, with answers to all three questions mixed in)

Yes I do if I had more time. Guest blogging increases awareness of yourself. It gives you the chance to interact with a new reader set. Some people do it just for the page rank, but I only do it if I have time and I feel that I can write something that audience will benefit from. For you to have guest posts on your site it can give you more content. I don’t ever have issues coming up with content, I just have issues with having time to write it. From now until after Christmas, I’ll be lucky to get anything up that isn’t a review or giveaway. But I’m going to work really hard to keep it about our family. I was thinking of only doing giveaway posts during the weekend and having actual content up during the week. But I’d have to turn off the TV to do that. We just signed up for a Netflix account and all we’ve been doing for the last few weeks is watching Lost. I also was reading the Hunger Games. I read all three books in 2 weeks. I would have read it even faster but every night my husband would wake up in the middle of the night and remind me that I have to get up in the morning and told me to go to bed. I think that’s why I got sick, was because I was up every night reading. Oh that and the new dog that needs to go out all the time.

Anyways, I do like guest blogging and if you want to have a guest post on Mom Start. I’m always up for that. Just let me know.

Want to participate? Monday Mingle is a Meme over at Eighty MPH Mom. Go over to her site, find the questions, take a video of the answers and post them to share. Then visit everyone that linked up and have fun getting to know each other.

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Guest Post: Fore! an article about Tiger Woods by Mary Jo Eustace author of Divorce Sucks

December 11, 2009 By 2 Comments

By Mary Jo Eustace,
Author of Divorce Sucks: What to do when irreconcilable differences, lawyer fees, and your ex’s Hollywood wife make you miserable

Just when you thought the world was safe and that beloved sports figures would stay beloved, another ball finds it’s way into the sand trap of life. Tiger Woods — the most disciplined and seemingly perfect man of all time has shanked big time and he wasn’t even holding a golf club — someone else was. . . .

December 3, 2009 on the Joy Behar show and probably every other media outlet as well, this was the topic of discussion. I joined the panel via satellite from Los Angeles with Joy and her guests, publisher Judith Reagen plus a woman who was an expert on marriage (god help us)!! We were supposed to use it as a jumping off point to talk about women who no longer wanted to stand by their man, but things got a little murky right from jump.

First of all, am I the only one who thought Tiger Woods didn’t have sex? I know he has 2 children and a very hot Swedish wife but he just seemed so above the fray and wholesome like he was practicing his putting 18 hours a day or constantly re-washing his golf balls. I just assumed that even though he was powerful and rich and had access to everything that he was a still "good boy." I mean really — his life seemed pretty kick ass — a fantastic career, a net worth of over 1 billion dollars, aforementioned hot wife and 2 beautiful children. What else could he possibly want?

Probably NOT a creepy car wreck on his front lawn, where he is driving barefoot and runs into a neighbors tree? Or a party girl who can barely string a sentence together hiring a victim advocates lawyer (Hello Gloria Allred — how are you?) to probably ink the deal on her new reality show planing "bottle" parties for the PGA? Or how about a lovely cocktail waitress from Las Vegas who just happens to have saved over 300 text messages from Tiger on her pink and glittery cell phone? You know — just in case he wanted to show his wife when there was a lull in the dinner conversation. How about her? Is this really what Tiger Wood’s went looking for?

It makes you wonder — a few things. I guess the first aspect of it, and to a certain extent I have been through this — is it really anybody’s business? Does the public really have the right to know every gruesome detail of someone else’s personal business? Now mine was just kind of low rent and tacky, but it was public and humiliating and in it’s own way a car wreck, but at least I wasn’t driving.

Yet when something like this happens I always think of a few things. Firstly, how could any of our truly beloved figures have ever remained beloved — John F. Kennedy. Martin Luther King, Bob Hope (yes even Bob Hope was known to swing his club in a extra curricular fashion) if they had of been under this type of public scrutiny? It would have been impossible and distracting and would have most likely altered their public contribution and legacy. Do we really need to know everything??

Yet the combination is intoxicating — infidelity, anger, image and perception — perhaps even a little domestic violence. No wonder we are hooked. Our culture is firmly rooted in the building up and taking down of those we revere.

Which leads me to my next point — even when a man presumably has it all is it never quite enough? Story after story of the fallen male figure — from the glib and permanently tanned politicians and religious leaders to the much respected David Letterman and now Tiger Woods.

I don’t get it — really I don’t. Their choices seem a little — yucky. And kind of insulting to the women they are with. These women they choose to stray with might as well be aliens from another planet they are so different from their wives. And the risk — not to just themselves but the things they hold most dear — it just makes no sense.

So another one bites the dust and I am kind of nervous to see who is next. So is my Aunt Sue, one of my favorite people and the best nun ever. She has put all her faith in Obama and I am hoping with a little divine intervention (maybe from Aunt Sue’s boss) he will be fine. . . .

Just stay away from the golf course.

©2009 Mary Jo Eustace, author of Divorce Sucks: What to do when irreconcilable differences, lawyer fees, and your ex’s Hollywood wife make you miserable

Author Bio

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Born and raised in Toronto, Mary Jo Eustace, author of Divorce Sucks: What to do when irreconcilable differences, lawyer fees, and your ex’s Hollywood wife make you miserable, is an author, actress, singer, chef, and mother to Jack and Lola. Mary Jo was married to Dean McDermott for thirteen years before Dean met Tori Spelling on the set of the Lifetime made-for-TV movie Mind Over Murder. After her highly publicized divorce, Mary Jo returned to her native Canada with her son and newly adopted daughter to film her cooking show, He Said, She Said with Ken and Mary Jo for Canada’s W Network. Mary Jo is the author of the bestselling cookbook By My Side. She has also written for the bestselling anthology The Other Woman and has been featured on Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, and The Today Show.

For more information please visit maryjoeustace.com

 

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Guest Post – Marlise Karlin is offering Mom Start Readers Six positive Tips to release Holiday Stress

December 5, 2009 By 4 Comments

 

clip_image0011. Express: Become aware of why you are stressed and speak about what’s not working – try pacing in your living room – until you’ve said everything you needed to say (Do this when you are alone – so you can really shout it out in a ‘I’m mad as hell” kind of way.) Keep pacing until you have nothing left to say. At this point, you will feel a shift in the stress.

2. Write: If you haven’t formulated what the upset is – or have a hard time expressing yourself, then get out a pen, or sit in front of your computer – and just begin writing. You will be amazed at what pours out.

3. Reboot with The 3 Breath Awareness® – Take 3 DEEP breaths, each one focused on releasing any tension in your body – and focused on connecting to that tranquil place of Stillness within.  Envision the silent power of a red rock mountain in Arizona, or the calming blue waters of the Adriatic Sea – and with each breath feel that infinite peace expanding.  Take it with you as you continue your day. 

4. Get Going:  Change locations – get a different perspective – move away from your desk, your home or your environment and feel the mind relaxing as you get involved in other activities.  Take a walk, a drive, or even go shopping – holding the vision you are going to find the perfect gift at the perfect price. Enjoy the festive surroundings.

5. Smile & Laugh:  Sadly, sometimes we’re in such a rush or so distracted, we need to remind ourselves to smile and enjoy the holiday season.  Heart to heart conversations with friends, or even complete strangers, can change our state of mind so quickly.  Talk to the sales person, the woman waiting in line, the child trying to decide what they want, the young person trying on new clothes. Watch your worries fade away and a warm smile engulf your beautiful face.

6. Gift Yourself: Buy one for yourself – you deserve a treat. You have added enjoyment to people’s lives today simply by smiling and spreading a bit of good cheer, heart to heart.  At this time of year when so many people are depressed, you have gotten out of negativity and discovered tools to shift the stresses we live with daily.  Even if it’s only something simple – reward yourself. 

Marlise Karlin teaches people how to reboot their lives through The Simplicity of Stillness®, a simple method she created after having a series of profound experiences shift her perspective on life. The   Practices have benefited thousands of people all over the world.  To find out more about Marlise and the Stillness Sessions audio work, go to http://www.marlisekarlin.com

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Guest Post GREENGUARD Nurturing the indoor air that you breathe

December 4, 2009 By 3 Comments

GG logo Parents go to great lengths to protect their children as can be witnessed with car seats, baby monitors, baby gates as well as watching what they eat.  However, no one really stops to think about the quality of air their baby is breathing and yet it can impact their health.  Life is fragile – protect it.

With children spending on average 85% of their time indoors and indoor air quality typically 2-5 times more polluted than the outdoor air, one of the most important steps for protecting children is to make sure the air they breathe indoors is clean and free of hazardous pollutants.  Children are especially at risk, particularly those with asthma, allergies and respiratory diseases.  The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI), offers a solution to parents concerned about indoor air quality.  Indoor furnishings, finishes and cleaning products emit thousands of different pollutants into the air.  By using products that are certified by GREENGUARD, parents can rest easy knowing the products have met stringent chemical emissions standards backed by the most stringent third-party certification program in the industry.

“Indoor air quality is a growing concern for families,” said Henning Bloech, Executive Director of the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute.  Parents are increasingly aware that the air they breathe in their homes can be filled with more hazardous chemicals than they would face outside, even on a bad air quality day.”

GREENGUARD Environmental Institute recently unveiled a special nursery at the annual juvenile products trade show to help create awareness that good indoor air quality is critical to providing healthy environments for children.  Certified products from AkzoNobel, Anderson Hardwood Flooring, BonaKemi, Eclipse Shutters, Fleetwood, Georgia-Pacific Gypsum, Herman Miller, Knoll Textiles, National Gypsum, Naturepedic, Owens Corning, Q Collection Junior, Rubbermaid, Sherwin-Williams, Stanley Furniture – Young America and Teknion were included in the nursery. 

crib testing smaller The GREENGUARD Children & School standard is one of the most stringent in the world and takes into account the special sensitivities of children. The standard requires that all products be tested for thousands of chemicals and that they meet rigorous health-based criteria for all volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including formaldehyde and phthalates.  More than 200,000 products produced by over 225 manufacturers contain the GREENGUARD Certification marks.

Unlike traditional exhibits, the GREENGUARD booth is built entirely with GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® low-emitting products, including furniture, flooring, walls, paint, textiles and furnishings. The exhibit reflects a nursery seen in many homes complete with crib, changing table and children’s play furniture. While most nurseries are furnished and decorated with products that off-gas a multitude of pollutants, the GREENGUARD nursery only features indoor air quality certified products that can minimize children’s exposure to harmful chemicals.

nursery smaller “The ABC Expo gives us a great opportunity to do more than just tell people that indoor air quality is critical to providing healthy environments for children. Now, we can demonstrate that a beautiful nursery designed with low-emitting products can easily be accomplished,” said Marilyn Black, Founder of GEI. “Our homes are filled with products and materials that emit thousands of different pollutants into the air we breathe. One of the most important steps towards protecting our children is to make sure the air they breathe in homes and schools, where they spend most of their day, is clean and free of hazardous chemicals,” explained Black.

nursery smaller 2 Products featured in the GREENGUARD nursery carry the prestigious GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM Certification mark. The GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification is among the most stringent in the world and takes into account the special sensitivities of children. It requires that all products be tested annually for more than 10,000 different chemicals and meet rigorous health-based criteria for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). GREENGUARD is excited to have products from industry leaders AkzoNobel, Anderson Hardwood Flooring, BonaKemi, Bernhardt Design, Eclipse Shutters, Fleetwood, Georgia-Pacific Gypsum, Herman Miller, Knoll Textiles, National Gypsum, Naturepedic, Owens Corning, Q Collection Junior, Rubbermaid, Sherwin-Williams, Stanley Furniture – Young America and Teknion included in this nursery.

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How to be a debt free Santa, courtesy of My Parent Rewards

December 3, 2009 By 5 Comments

MyparentrewardsWe have all been affected by the economic downturn in America. We are checking our kid’s "Dear Santa" list, scratching our heads and wondering, "How am I going to afford the mortgage, let alone little Johnny’s wish list?" I have been implementing several family traditions over the last five years and have found that theses tips will help take the emphasis off the money, and place it where it belongs, in the holiday spirit of Christmas and the holidays. Here are five practical and fun suggestions that any family can utilize for quality holiday time with family, without a quantity of bills come January.

1. Pass The Rubber Chicken, Please!

A long-standing and treasured hilarious tradition in my family has been passing along the same Rubber Chicken, with special additions created by family members, which reflect the gift recipient’s year. I believe every family with kids should have an inexpensive and preferably funny holiday tradition that the kids and adults look forward to experiencing annually. And even if you have a normal tradition such as exchanging ornaments, get creative in searching out that one-of-a-kind piece.

One great way to decide on your annual holiday tradition is to ask your kids what they most remember about Christmas last year. If it was going out and getting the Christmas tree, then perhaps your tradition is a tree-trimming party. If what was most memorable was going out to breakfast in new flannel pajamas on Christmas morning, perhaps there is now the annual Christmas Eve gift of new pajamas for everyone.

2. Give The Gift Of Gratitude, Not Guilt.

Family members can give a group gift instead of individual gifts. For example, save money by getting one gift for Dad that’s from Mom and the kids, or a gift for each of your children that is from Mom, Dad, grandma and grandpa. Holiday fun can quickly turn into holiday remorse if family members try to one-up each other on the gift giving. If individual gift giving is practiced, make it an even playing field when buying gifts for kids by setting a dollar limit that everyone can spend on the children. Tell children that the most important thing is that you are together as a family. Model gratitude for your children by placing a priority on the connecting and spending time with each other rather than a frenzied focus on what we’re getting each other for Christmas.

3. Have a Christmas Budget Family Meeting.

How many times has the reasoning behind your child’s Christmas list been "Dear Santa: I don’t know why I want this but I just do!" You must investigate why your children are asking for certain items in order to determine what’s really important to them and what will work with your budget. If you plan a family meeting where you are going to be open and honest and talk to your kids about having to scale back on holiday purchases, you’re teaching them self-discipline and you can discuss the bigger picture of what you want as a family. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could spend more time together versus working harder to pay off our Christmas purchases?

Kids have plenty of creative ideas and it can empower them and make them want to get on board when you ask, "What do you think we can do to get out of debt, or not go into debt, as a family this year at Christmas time?" Make a Christmas list right after Thanksgiving, during the biggest shopping weekend of the year, and then put it away for a couple of weeks. When as a family you revisit the list, narrow it down to the three things your kids really want. Then, talk to them about why they want something: What’s so special about this? It doesn’t hurt to quiz them a little to understand if it’s truly something they can’t live without.

4. Teach Children The Meaning Of a "We" Not "Me" Christmas.

The holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to teach children about the power of giving of themselves to help others. Inspiring children with the story of Kris Kringle, a child who liked to give more than he liked to receive is a great start. Explain to your children why it’s important to give to others as a family and select a charity that you want to support, either with your time or money or both. Make it a family weekend project in November to start collecting hand-me-downs from everyone’s closets that you plan to give away to charities at Christmas.

5. The More Mini-Moguls, The Merrier.

When you buy a financial investment for your children, it is a gift that can educate your children as well as entertain them forever. Children have the gift of time, and there is no better time then now to invest in your child’s financial future. Children very rarely remember the gifts, but for years to come they will be thanking you for investing in their financial future. Family members can open a high interest savings account, like ING Direct’s Orange savings. Sharebuilder for stocks is a great way to get kids started in buying individual stocks through dollar cost averaging. Start teaching children the value in saving and investing money early, because as we have learned over the last year, when you have the security of money in the bank it’s your number one asset.

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Guest Post by Tricia Meyer Smart Mom Shop Online

December 2, 2009 By 2 Comments

tricia I know people around me are always pushing me to “shop local” to support local businesses. But the reality is that if I save money shopping online, I have more money to support local businesses like restaurants, theaters, and bowling alleys. So in the end, I’m still doing what’s best for both me AND my community when I shop online to save.

 

 

Now that we have that out of the way, I want to tell you why the smartest moms will be shopping online this holiday season. Here are 5 sure fire ways to save money while you spend it (and who doesn’t spend at least a little in December?)

1) Compare for the lowest prices. Whether you do this formally using one of the many price comparison sites out there or informally by polling the friends in your social networks, you will be sure that you are getting what you want at the lowest price possible.

2) Use online coupons. You can find a coupon for just about every store online with few exceptions. Bookmark a couple of the top coupon sites and always check them before you buy.

3) Shop with rewards. Whether you shop through a traditional cash back/rebate site or even your credit card or frequent flyer program, be sure that you are getting any kind of points or rewards that you can on each purchase. Most of these sites are 100% legitimate and allow you to combine your rewards with coupons. Just do your homework when you choose a site.

4) Shop for alternative items. Unless you are looking for a very specific make and model of a product, do a simple internet search for the product you are buying and see if there is another similar item at a better price that would serve the same purpose.

5) Use reviews to your advantage. Many websites are now including reviews as a part of their site. You can see reviews on the product, the merchant, and even the coupon you want to use. Don’t waste your money on a merchant that isn’t going to get the item to you the way that you want it or on a product that people are saying doesn’t do what it advertised. You don’t want to have to spend that money twice to get a different item at the last minute.

I could make this list go on and on, but this will get you started. Be smart and check your credit cards often, use reputable sites—all those things you already know! And enjoy it….shopping should be fun, especially when you know you are getting the best deals possible.

Tricia Meyer is an affiliate marketer and blogger. Her personal website is www.tricia.me and you can follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sunshinetricia

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