Family

Summer Home and Vacation Savings

Vacation Saving Tips (If You Are Driving)

As the time to start planning your summer vacation approaches, gas prices are going up. It happens every year in anticipation of the travel season. Even if money is not an issue for you, these tips will help you be good to the environment, and help you save for other things you want to do with that money.

1. Shop around – Some of the best apps for your iPhone that are free and can save you money right away are:

a) GasBuddy
b) AAA Mobile
c) Gas Guru

2. Use Apps to help you with traffic and rerouting trips to avoid traffic jams, accidents or

a) Waze
b) Route4Me
c) inRoute

3. Check your vehicle’s tires. Having a well maintained car will help you save on gas. The efficiency of your vehicle on the road depends on how well maintained you have kept your car all year round.

4. Follow the speed limit signs. Even when you have a long road ahead, driving at the speed limit posted can save you money on gas. Driving slower and at a consistent speed burns less fuel, and if traveling for a long trip, use your cruise control to keep a consistent and moderate speed.

5. Keep it light – Excessive baggage or a roof box cargo can make gas consumption a bit expensive. Keeping your windows and sunroof close will reduce the drag, making you car more aerodynamic.

Home Saving Tips

Many of the new homes have excellent windows, new roofs, new air conditioning units, etc. Everything is new and working properly. But, if you have an older home and are looking to save energy and money, what are some of the energy saving tips that will also save you money?

Replacing your old air conditioning unit is not something we do frequently, they last a long time and they are expensive. But, if you have an old unit, the efficiency is not longer there. The electric bill is probably not a pretty sight every month, so replacing the unit is probably the only solution that can save you money in the long run.
Replacing old Windows – The draft you feel as you get close to a window or door is heat leaving your home and making your gas or electric bill higher than it should be. Replacing old windows or doors can save you money in heating bills and add value to your home.
Keeping the temperatures in your home at comfortable levels can save you money. Too cold in the summer months and too warm in the winter can add hundreds of dollars a year. Try a difference of a couple degrees and see if you feel a difference in your comfort level and notice the difference in your bill.
Turning off the lights in your home and appliances or other electronic devices that nobody is using saves electricity and money.
Remind your children that the water in the home is not heated by the sun. A short shower can save water and electricity and hundreds of dollars a year.

By using some of these tips, you will not only save money but will help the environment as well.

Five ways to make your child more intelligent

People have always wondered if intelligence is inherited or something that we adapt and polish with time! As a kid my mum made me do a lot of mental math, spatial learning exercises, and many more similar activities. She aimed to boost my intelligence, though I was never sure how effective they were. One thing is for sure, I am able to think on my feet and multitask well.

Now growing up and become a mother to a four-year-old, I adopted the same practices, but in my opinion, the results were not like the ones I was expecting. I started dreading that maybe my child is a slow learner! This led me to research and read up a lot just to clear my doubts about the kind of learner my daughter was. I came across some really interesting facts.

There are no slow learners in reality! (surprised?)
Every brain is equally gifted. Though the gifts may differ.
Our circumstances and environment play a crucial role.
Inherent qualities do exist, but again it’s our environmental setup that impacts the actual growth.

Tips and Exercises to boost our Intelligence

Through my research, I understood one thing, there are no slow learners. Each brain has its capabilities and how much we utilize or make the child utilize the brain gives us the actual level of intelligence. The genetics do come into play but they only have around 15% impact, the rest can all be honed.

The methods that can be employed are simple yet scientifically backed, and they can help in making our children able to use a larger part of their brains.

1. Work on their concentration span.

Children have a very short span of attention. They need to learn to focus. Children who have better attention spans have better working memories. An age old trick of staring at a single spot on the wall can be helpful in increasing the attention span. Also, doing activities and playing games that help in improving memory can help the working the memory and this also helps them perform better in class and makes them confident.

2. Make your child sleep better.

Today, the problem that we face with our children is their lack of sleep. They are exposed to a lot of gadgets throughout the day. Their bodies absorb light from these gadgets, and their biological clock informs them that their body system should wait for few more hours before shutting down. This way they stay awake for a long time and never get the required sleep hours. When a child has rested enough, his brain is fresh to absorb newer concepts and ideas.

3. Encourage your child.

Boosting your child’s morale will help your child become confident and encouraged to try newer things. But make sure you don’t go overboard as it can instil a sense of superiority and overconfidence in a child. Also, praise things they worked on, not things that came easily. A confident child is bound to try newer things and explore. The experiences help broaden the mind. Never snub or discourage your child in public. It shatters their self-confidence as they feel humiliated in front of their peers. This makes them clam-up and shut their minds.

4. Talk to your child.

This is very important! All the efforts that you are making on your full time or part time job is to make sure that your child has a great future. But what is the point when you are not able to give them time? A neglected child will ultimately wallow in his loneliness and become miserable. Give your child time. Discuss things with them and listen to their opinions and views and then guide them to the right and wrong. When you discuss their curiosity with them, you are expanding the horizons for them. If you wait until they are older, it may be too late as they are already used to not sharing things with you.

5. Challenge your child.

It is important that you allow your child to solve his problems, but keep a watchful eye. For example, if a ball rolls down under the bed, instead of you retrieving it, allow your child to do it himself/herself. They will learn to solve their problems and devise solutions that can help them resolve problems on their own.

My Experience

I started with making a proper sleep routine for my daughter, and gradually I noticed things falling into place. By empowering her to make decisions herself, she started feeling more confident. A happy child is a successful child; this is the mantra as parents we should be understanding. But surely we should keep in mind that fulfilling all whims is not the key; we should try to make them happier by giving love and support.

5 Ways To Improve Your Life AND Cut Expenses

The first thing we need to do is agree that some of the things in this article are not going to be more fun. When I write, “Improve Your Life” I mean in a healthy way, not in a binge drinking frat party way. The real key to this article is if follow all of these things, you should save many thousands of dollars per year and also be healthier and happier.

Next I want to say I got this information from all over. We reference some things, in other cases you can do a search and find different numbers from different sources. This is not a scientific research paper – just an interesting article on how to save money while improving your life.

Cold Showers

Your first reaction might be “Hell no!” but give me a moment. There are a lot of people that swear by cold (or colder) showers because they have significant benefits and they save you money. Cold showers have been associated with increases Alertness, Refines Hair and Skin, Improves Immunity and Circulation, Stimulating Weight Loss, Speeding Up Muscle Soreness and Recovery, Easing Stress and Relieving Depression. I have also heard that taking a cold shower when you cannot go to sleep and getting in bed right away will put you in a great, deep sleep if you have trouble with that kind of thing.

So fine, it is good for you if you can hack it. But does it save you a lot of money? I found a calculator for shower costs online here. I did an example where I did a colder, shorter shower and a longer, hotter shower and compared the cost. Turns out a family of 4 would save $478.50 in a year. Not bad – and good for you.

Drink Less

Well, this is already starting to sound really sucky. Take cold showers and stop drinking. But in 2018 more evidence has been steadily coming out that the whole 1-2 drinks a day are good for you thing is not really true. Women should have much less than that and even men should only be have a couple a week. I found another calculator that will help you see how much you are spending weekly on alcohol. And remember, it is not as good for you as you have been lead to believe.

In this very reasonable example, I have used this calculator and estimated a $1,872 annual expense per person. If you live in a big city and like to go out with friends or coworkers a lot you are spending a lot more than this in fact.

Eat Less

The average American consumes more than 3,600 calories daily. This is a 24% increase from 1961, when the average was just 2,880 calories. A man needs around 2,500kcal a day to maintain his weight with a healthy , balanced diet. Woman need around 2,000kcal a day. These values can vary depending on age, metabolism and physical activity, among other things. Body builders and professional swimmers should not try this at home.

With all of this in mind, we simply eat too much – and food costs money. We eat 37.5% too much food to be exactish.

How much money does the average person spend on food per month? This figure varies based on age and income level. Assuming you are middle class and a fairly young adult, it is $173 per week times 52 weeks which equals $8,996 in annual food costs. Now if we cut that back by 37.5%, we would be saving $3373.50 per year per person. And you would also save money on health care as it would reduce the likelihood of many weight related diseases.

This gets even crazier when you consider Forty percent of food in the United States is never eaten, amounting to $165 billion a year in wasted food, according to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council. This would figure that you might be throwing away 40% of the groceries. If you are someone throwing away a lot of food, plus eating 37% more calories than you need, it means 75% of your groceries could be wasted or eaten when they should not be.

Cook More

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014, the average American household spent $2,787 on restaurant meals and takeout, compared to $3,971 on groceries. But in 2015, the average amount spent on restaurants and takeout jumped $221 to $3,008. Grocery spending, by contrast, increased just $44 per household to $4,015.

We all know that restaurant food tastes great. It is higher in sodium, bacon fat, fried breading and slathered in butter or some delicious sauce. If you learn to make good, healthy meals at home and cut the restaurants, you can save money and be healthier very easily. Going out no more than once a week should cut that restaurant bill in half or less, saving approximately $1,500 a year and

Walk or Bike More Short Trips

In 2017, the average household made 1.5 trips per week to grocery store. Most likely these were done driving. As mentioned above in the article, chances are you have too much food in your home already so going 6 times a month is too much. But instead of saying “You can’t go” let’s say you can only go on bike or walking unless you are going for a big run that should only happen 2-3 times per month.

Walking and biking are great exercise and if you really want something, just make yourself go on foot. Chances are the craving will not be worth it if you have to walk there.

By using this strategy you will help yourself cut down on those food and alcohol expenses mentioned above while also saving gas and car maintenance. AAA estimates that it costs 58 cents per mile to operate a car. Of that 58 cents, only around 11 cents is in gas. The other 47 cents goes for expenses like, maintenance, insurance and depreciation.

So if you cut down on short trips by walking or riding your bike more, you could save several dollars on each trip and get better fit and buy less crap. Putting a savings tag on this is harder but let’s say you cut $5 a week in car expenses plus another $10 per week in stuff you do not buy on a whim. That is small but would add up to $780 saved in a year.

All told, all of these things would make you healthier. And I certainly do not mean to imply to never take a hot shower or have a glass of wine again. But the little daily things add up to huge savings and health benefits. Let’s recap.

In one year, a family of 4 average people can save the following:

Cold Showers: $478.50
2 Adults In Family Cut Drinking: $3,774
Eating Only Recommended Calories for Family of 4: $13,494
Eating Out Maximum 1 time per week: $1,500
Walking more and driving less: $780

This is all based on averages, different sources and fuzzy math. We are just having fun here. But this would suggest these changes could save an average family of four $20,026.50 per year. Your results will vary. But that is a lot of savings and health benefit.

If this all seems a little extreme, remember to start small and no one says you have to go to this level. Shorter showers and less restaurants alone could save you some cash. Make it work for you. This is just an example of how you can imagine a different life.

Participate In Your Community By Joining a Board

People often do not realize that many local organizations have boards who meet regularly to help with organizational issues or keep track of the finance and operational goals. Nearly all non profits have boards. Schools all have boards. Communities have boards or councils. Mental health organizations have boards. Large corporations have boards, but you might be surprised to find out that smaller companies and even startups have boards.

Qualifications are going to vary greatly based on the board and what the leader and the current board members are looking for, but you might be surprised to find you are just what they are looking for. For example, a mental health board is not going to be made up of all psychologists usually. Instead, they will often be made up of people in the community who care about mental health. They will bring their varied talents to the table to help look at things from different perspectives.

Boards typically meet once a month but it could be more or less. Some are paid positions, and many are voluntary. Some voluntary positions do pay a small stipend to cover expenses. At a minimum, they typically feed you at the meeting and it offers a chance to give back to the community and learn about a topic in more detail. It also improves your skills and knowledge in the area.

Typically a board is either an elected position in the broad sense, such as needing to be on a ballot and get elected. Think city councils and public school boards. Other positions are typically by vote of existing board members. One person might bring you in and if you and the board agree it is a good fit they vote and make you a member.

Board sizes can be from a small group of 5 or 6 up to a large group of 30 or more. The larger the group the longer the meetings may go if everyone likes to talk and ask questions.

So how do you get on a board?

To begin, know what area you are interested in. If it is entrepreneurship, you will want to try to get on a startup board. If it is education, a school board. If it is mental health, then a mental health board.

Next you can use Google and LinkedIn and find existing organizations that match your interest. Look on their website and see if they list board members. Call or email and inquiry about open board positions. Ask if you can attend a board meeting. Have your resume polished up and ready in case they ask for it.

And keep circling back around. If a board is full when you contact them make sure they know you would like to be considered for a position in the future. Then follow up regularly, maybe quarterly, to see if positions have opened up.

Unless you are very familiar with the industry and how boards operate, begin by listening a lot and asking questions after the meetings. New visitors and board members sometimes try to do too much too soon, and it can be difficult. The first six months or more will most likely be learning and absorbing all the stuff they are doing.

Being a board member in any community organization is very rewarding. It can lead to new friends, new opportunities and a real sense of helping people.

Totally Free Family Activities (No Devices Involved)

I bet you have not thought of all these five different ways to do really fun things with your family without spending money. We all like to go and spend money at the movies or in restaurants but you can’t do that every day and be fiscally responsible. Especially when you have small kids, you need to be planning ahead for college, for the car when they are a teenager, and all the other expenses that will come up with raising kids.

Number one is obvious. Going to local parks when the weather is nice is an easy way to get out and have a lot of fun with your kids. As the runaround on playgrounds they’re getting more fit and having a good time and likely making friends. If your kids are little bit older you can still pull this off by taking a frisbee, hacky sack or a soccer ball to the field and working on physical skills with them.

Number two is often overlooked. It is going to all the fantastic free events near where you live that you are probably not even aware of. Colleges, high schools, middle schools and churches have a events all the time open to the public and free of charge or sometimes they charge a small fee. This could be music, dance performances, theater, or other group activities or performances. Many colleges require students to do performances for their classes and these are often available for free. And having young kids start making noise in a free middle school performance is not as embarrassing as having them throw a fit at the symphony.

Another idea few people bother to do is organize in their own clinic around a sport or activity. For example, your child might like tennis but there are no tennis camps. If you can find a few other families interested in tennis then you can organize a weekly tennis get together and work on your skills. You don’t have to be a coach to develop basic skills and practice. This could be for any sport or other kinds of group activities. You could organize a Spanish club, hiking club, art club or a coding in group. And if you are organizing, this could actually make some money for you if you charge a small fee to the other participants.

But if you don’t want to organize events like this you can also depend on your local library to have many things that are free and open to the public and great to do as a family. I know locally you can go see movies at the library on certain nights as well as go to art classes, story time, and book groups. I’ve never seen any of these things cost any money.

Lastly a great way to get out and have some fun and not spend any money is to go on a nature walk or a hike. But to make it more interesting for kids consider making a treasure hunt. Decide what things you’re going to hunt for and mark them off the list or take pictures of them when you see them. They could be things like the bluebird or an acorn or are yellow car.

By making a treasure hunt it becomes far more interesting and it can even become competitive. This is not much different from the old travel bingo games people used to keep the kids entertained in the car before iPads and entertainment systems.

These are just some of the ideas you can do to get out and have fun and not spend any money while entertaining your kids getting exercise or developing a skill. It doesn’t matter where you live because things like this are going to be available in your area. These are just common things in most communities. The key is the call around and find out what’s going on and talk to people and find all these great things available to you. Now get out there and enjoy them.

Get Fit For Spring Hiking

Fitness and endurance are important as you move into the spring, and you must begin by finding places where you will get the best workout. You need not spend your time int he gym if you do not wish to, and you may begin to hike instead. The Akron area has many good hikes, and you will find that hiking is often better for then going to the gym if you are not the fitness type. This article will show you all that is beneficial about hiking, how you must hike and where you may go in the area.

#1: Why Hike?

You may hike for a number of reasons. You may not be a runner, and it is easier to hike because you are not going as hard as you may for many miles at a time. The hiking that you do will be quite a lot of fun because you will see all the sights that you go near, and you will have time to stop and rest while you are moving. Hiking is an event that you may bring the whole family around for, and you will quite enjoy going on hikes that you have selected for their beauty.

#2: How Hard Is Hiking

Hiking is easy for the whole family to, but it is hard on your body. You will get a full workout that pushes you quite hard, and you will feel the burn in all your muscles when your are done. It is wise for you to hike for small periods until your re strong enough to go on for longer, and you will quite enjoy the way it feels to get through a hike where you got a workout without wearing yourself out.

#3: Hikes In The Akron Area

“We hike every week and go to so many different trails in the Akron area. It is amazing there are so many options.” – Ron McDaniel

There are three very good hikes in the Akron area that you must try. You may go to Cascade Metro Parks North and South for your next hikes, and they have many trails that you will quite enjoy, and you may bring your children to play in the park at the same time. This is a lovely time for all, and it is a strong hike for someone who loves being on the trail.

You may go to the Sieberling Nature Realm when you wish to be on the trail among all the nature and animals that you may find. The Akron area is filled with wonderful wildlife, and you will quite enjoy seeing the park from a new perspective every time you take a hike there.

Each of these hikes will help you get the workout that you need, and you will feel much better about your body once you are finished.

Helping Your Student With His Writing

Writing, for many students is a painstaking chore that they would rather not do. Many teachers complain that students do not even know how to write an introduction, let alone a whole essay.

For many students writing a term paper, the complications begin with vocabulary they need to use to convey their thoughts and ideas. Using adjectives, adverbs and pronouns become a problem if the student doesn’t know the definition nor their usage.

A student that needs to write a descriptive and coherent paper, should be able to use an array of words that are not repetitive, or boring.

How can you help?

Working with your student, try to use synonyms that will make the writing easier to read and will expand the student’s vocabulary. Choose words that are synonyms but are not as widely used. For example, the list below shows an abridged list of some adjectives that will make your student’s writing more mature without making it too difficult for him/her to write. Start with these simple changes, and your student will begin writing a better paper in the future with little difficulty.

Use This	Instead of this
Dreadful, rough	bad
Pleasant	nice
Extreme	real
Worthwhile	good
Vicious	mean
Raging	Very strong
Spacious	large
Tiny	Very little
strenuous	hard
Courteous	nice

What if the vocabulary is not the problem? Writing can become a habit and you can make it happen. Setting a specific time to do writing every day can start the change and become an enjoyable subject for your student. Writing essays, letters and short stories can give your student the needed practice he needs. Choose topics that seem to trigger a positive response from your student, then you can change those topics to more complex ones. Begin slowly, with perseverance you and your student will achieve your goals.

Help Kids to Stay Focused in Spring

It isn’t just a “young man” whose fancy turns to love in spring. Kids also “reawaken” with the first bloom of the crocus through the snow in Ohio. Trying to keep kids attention focused on their studies becomes a bit more difficult for parents when warmer temperatures have kids panting to be outdoors or engaged in spring activities. Parents can help kids to stay focused in spring by ensuring there is balance between their kids’ natural exuberance and ability to focus on their studies.

Tips to Help Parents Cope with Kids’ “Spring Fever”

One way for parents to help kids bathe gently in spring fever is to provide a connection between changing temperatures, increasing sunlight due to Daylight Saving Time and their studies.

For example, there are many ways to use “spring fever” to keep them focused on science and math by encouraging kids to align their studies to changes taking place all around them in spring. In fact, parents can encourage their kids to use these changes to advantage in science, math and literary projects, such as reports, special projects and presentations.

Align Kids’ Ages with Focus on Studies

Educators all know that to expand the minds of children, it is necessary to gear their studies to age levels. Parents can do this at home in a vibrant Ohio spring by exposing their children to various poets, artists and authors who’s work is influenced by Spring.

In the sciences, develop kids’ focus by helping them to learn more about the particular subjects they are learning. For example, if the course of study is algebra, help kids to learn about the history of the subject, the significance of algebra in today’s hi tech world and how they can better understand the subject. Parents can also create a science project at home for their kids by helping them advance their knowledge of plant or insect growth in various forms.

Keeping Ohio Kids Focused on their Education

One thing parents can do to keep their kids focused on their educations is to provide examples of the lack of education and the causes and effects of having limited knowledge. Parents should always encourage a “thirst” for knowledge in their kids. This should include a step in the path of kids’ education toward technology. Help kids to develop an intense curiosity of technology and technological logic that will be of immense benefit to their futures.

In addition, consider clear rules that respect their desire to get outside more but also makes clear the need to keep up academics. Some kids will not need extra attention but even some of the best students will feel a little more restless and need attention from parents to keep on track. Enjoy the weather.

Is a Private School Best For Your Child?

According to recent figures, there are 33,619 private schools in the United States, enrolling and educating 5.4 million students from PK to 12th. Grade. Almost 80% of those institutions are affiliated to a religious denomination, Catholic being the most predominant in that sector.

Although the enrollment to private schools seems to be declining (there is a 2% decline from over a 15 year period) and the United States Department of education thinks it unlikely it will be reversed, private schooling for many families is the only way to approach education.

What are some of the benefits families look for when they send their child to a private school?

Small classes-according to reviews of private schools in the United States, and the philosophy of what education means for many families, the size of small classrooms play an important role in the decision to send them to a private school or not. Many families believe teachers get to know their children better when the class size is small and can form a better relationship with their child.
Better Learning – With class size being small, teaching and engaging your child has to be easier than the public schools.
Religion – Many families send their children to private religious-affiliated schools because of their beliefs, and because they want their children around other religious-minded children.
Ivy League Universities – Many private institutions believe they are preparing the children to attend ivy league colleges and universities after their graduation at their schools, and their teaching is usually geared to this purpose.
Accountability – Private Institutions like every public school are required to adhere to the laws governing the education of children, but ultimately, they are accountable to their boards and most importantly to the parents of their students.

Whatever your belief about the education of your child, you have to keep in mind that many of these institutions want a diverse group of students and can offer financial aid to offset the cost of attending their school.

If you believe sending your child to a private school is the difference between a good or a great education, by all means, finding the right school for your child is of the utmost importance. One thing to remember before you sign papers and write the first check is that your child will be the one attending the school. If he/she expresses any misgivings about the school, you must listen and pay attention to him/her. A great school can be great for other children, but may not be a great fit for your child. Finding the right fit for them and for you is your highest concern.

Buying a New Mattress – Where Do You Begin?

Keeping in mind that a mattress is a very personal item to buy for you and your spouse or partner, there are basic guidelines you need to be aware of before you choose the mattress that will give you comfort and won’t crush your finances.

Research online – You need to find a couple of websites that can offer you information about the type of mattresses you are willing to buy. Not all mattresses are the same, and they offer a wide range of comforts that you may not need. We are providing the first website for you with tons of information that can be relied upon. http://bettersleep.org/mattress-education/, the other one is up to you and your preferences.
Know your budget – How much are you willing to spend buying a mattress? There are mattresses that are only a few hundred dollars, and there are mattresses that can cost you 5K. Which one do you really need?
A want or a need? – Do you want a mattress because you saw a new one advertised, or because you bought a new bed? Or do you really need one because of back problems? When you find the answer to this question, you will find the right mattress for you. There are mattresses that can help you alleviate some of the discomforts you may have during sleep and others are specifically designed to offer comfort to that particular area of your body. The price varies depending on the type of mattress you need so you need to choose with care.
Ask your Doctor – Your physician may have a recommendation for you, or at the very least a suggestion as to the type of mattress you need. After all, he knows the pains and discomforts you are experiencing.
Online shopping for a mattress? – Many millennial do not think twice about shopping, paying bills or banking online. For them, buying a mattress can be done as easily as clicking their mouse or pad, and companies know that. If you are comfortable buying a mattress online, by all means, you can do it, but do it with care. Learn about their return policy, warranty, shipping, discounts they may have, and other important information you need before committing to buying it. Some companies are offering a trial period to try the mattress you want, take advantage of their offers especially if you are buying a big-ticket item.
Go to a mattress store first – You do not need to buy the mattress online, you can visit a local store to try the mattresses they have, and make the decision then. Some stores are willing to work with you if you have found a better price online. Do not TRY the mattress by pushing your hand on it only, see how it feels when you lay down on it.
Take your spouse or partner with you – If it’s a mattress for the two of you, you need to BOTH try the mattress. What may be a comfort to him/her, it may not be for you. This is an item where it matters to both of you. If you are buying the mattress for a child, take him/her with you, let them choose what they want. Later on, they cannot complain about a decision they made.
Mattress Care – If you bought a mattress and are happy with it, now it is time to truly take care of it. Read all the instructions included in your mattress and enjoy your purchase.

Purchasing very personal items that are a few hundred or thousands of dollars can be a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, especially if it involves spouses or partners. Making the right decision is not difficult because it is an item you both need. Enjoy your shopping and your sleep!

Family

Summer Home and Vacation Savings

Five ways to make your child more intelligent