4 Things a Family Must do Together

September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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In a fast-paced society, time tends to pass by quickly. Before long, the children are grown and ready to start their own families. That’s why putting thought into family activities is important for creating lifelong memories. Whether you sign up for Virgin Holidays Cruises or form a family sports team, you’ll create lasting memories to cherish when the kids are grown.

1. Take a Cross Country Family Road Trip

Road trips offer freedom and adventure. Consult with your spouse and kids, and select locations that satisfy the curiosity and enjoyment of all family members. Driving across the country allows you to stop and sightsee in a leisurely manner. With small children, you’ll be able to make many stops for kids to run around, use the restroom or pick up snacks.

2. Sail the World on a Ship

Virgin Holidays Cruises deliver a unique adventure. Taking a cruise is a wonderful way to enjoy scenic beauty while all family members participate in relaxing and interesting activities, ranging from sunbathing to group exercise to entertaining shows. Cruise and Stay options also exist; whether you visit the Mediterranean, the Caribbean or New York City, you can combine the beauty and relaxation of the sea with land activities and sightseeing.

3. Attend a Family Reunion

Gathering the extended family is also an important activity for families. Whether you plan a reunion yourself or just attend one, spending time with extended relatives helps to foster family unity.

4. Play Sports Together

Touch football, softball, soccer and kickball are among the many sports to enjoy with your family. Playing together is important for having fun as a family and learning how to work together as a team.

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Money Saving Tips for Upcoming Holidays

September 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Holidays are expensive, especially if children, food or parties are involved. Many wait until the holiday season comes around before beginning any shopping or real planning. That can be too late, as people rush around to get what they want, leaving very little behind for late planners.

The first rule is to start shopping ahead of time; even if the plans for the holiday aren’t set in stone yet, begin shopping around to find what is out there and what the costs may be. Once someone has an idea of what they want, it’s easier to figure out a budget for the event.
Or, once a budget is figured, the planner can then look for what they want in their price range. Either way is great, but choose one plan and then carry it out.

Be Resourceful for Your Shindig
Delegating is another good way to get something big and expensive done. Ask some willing friends to take care of certain parts of the event for you, like shopping for costumes (think Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, etc.). Online shopping is a good way to get your look.
A great way to afford a holiday on the fly is to arrange a large gathering and have everyone bring a dish. The planner can decide what each should bring – appetizer, entrée, dessert, etc. Ask guests to also bring extra chairs, card tables and the like to help with seating, saving the planner from having to rent these items.

Borrowing is a great way to get what is needed, also. Aunt Betty has a nice punchbowl and matching glasses and Uncle Bob has a limo with which to bring the guests of honor, etc.

Be creative and resourceful, and it’ll all go off without a hitch.

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Spending According to Your Lifestyle

August 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous—does this sound like a show you can relate to? In the US, there are nearly 3 million millionaires; that leaves roughly 300 million people just like you, who keep tight budgets and try to make each dollar stretch as far as it can. Lavish spending could be considered the hobby of the super-rich, but frequently, households with little discretionary income make unwise spending decisions in an effort to keep up with the Joneses.

Unfortunately, many families swim in debt because they buy things they simply cannot afford. They may have a Range Rover in the driveway, but you can’t see their piles of bills and empty savings account. Spending in accordance with your income doesn’t sound thrilling, but the freedom that comes from having more control over your finances makes forgoing $200 jeans worth it.

What steps can you take to curb your lifestyle habits? Your smart moves now could mean big payoffs later.

  • Make a detailed budget to reflect your income and spending. Once you have the budget set, stick with it!
  • Never spend more than you make; this seems like a no-brainer, but it’s a common habit.
  • Emergencies happen; temporary loans from a company like Plain Green Loans can help.
  • Set financial goals to save for, like buying a home of taking a family vacation.
  • Invest your money wisely and make retirement savings plans.
  • Forgo the designer furniture and opt for affordable alternatives; inexpensive isn’t synonymous with drab.
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Reasons for Shrinking Middle Class

July 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As has been reported for several years, the middle class appears to be disappearing as more people fall into the other income brackets. Sadly, though, more people are sinking into the lower class than upper class, as what used to be good enough to be considered average is now not sufficient. Consider a few reasons that experts cite as the reason for a shrinking middle class.

In the past, a bachelor’s degree practically guaranteed that you could buy a house, raise a family, and live a fairly comfortable life since your job prospects were higher. Now, it is hard for people with this type of degree, or even a master’s degree, to get a job that pays well enough to feed a family. On average, people with a bachelor’s degree earn a few thousand dollars less than they would have two decades ago with the same education.

The end result is that people are losing the roof over their head via foreclosure, quickly becoming homeless if they cannot afford to move to a rental house and keep up those monthly payments. This is especially true of those who bought real estate assuming that their degree would ensure that they always had a job.

One of the most popular pieces of advice to solve this middle class issue is to make college more affordable. This is because so many people now graduate with huge student loans that they cannot pay off. When they lose their job and have both loan payments and a mortgage, there are few options for them to get out from under their staggering debt. Of course, this route may not be happening anytime soon as tuition continues to rise for many schools.

 

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Die With Money, Die Disgraced

July 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

You can’t imagine just how tough it is for the upper-class citizens of America. They give new meaning to the ‘love of money is the root of evil’ mantra. And there’s no wonder that you can be jaded by luxury in a big way. Why?

Because you’re not struggling in life. That fuels your fire, your will to live. If you live comfortably, what else is there for you to do? Sit around and read? Before long, you get tired of all of it. All your automatic withdrawals pay for every darn thing on the planet, so you don’t have to worry about it. You won’t need to drive, because you have chauffeurs. It’s a piece of cake.

Except the fact that you can’t do anything for yourself anymore.

Aha! There is one thing you can do. Give back to your community.

There’s an old adage out there that you should keep close to your heart: Die With Money, Die Disgraced. You understand it? What good is your money if you’re dead? Who will get it? No one. Well, your family members might after they take a look at your last will and testament. But you’ve got to do better than that throughout your entire life.

You have so much money that you can anonymously pay for someone’s wedding and simply leave a note that says ‘Make Your Life Spectacular.’ Donate to as many charities as possible. In essence, don’t be a Scrooge!

That really is what money should be about — contributing to the community. That’s why God allows us to make it.

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Why Some Kids Are Materialistic

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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These days, many fear that today’s kids are more demanding and materialistic than ever before. Though many families are struggling financially, some parents are doing just fine, and continually buy their kids the latest and greatest gadgets. The result is that classmates see these expensive items and assume that all parents are willing to purchase them for their kids, so they start demanding them from their own parents.

One of the typical reasons that well-off parents buy expensive things for their kids is that they are trying to compensate for the lack of time spent with them. They are probably busy with work, even traveling for business, so instead of feeling guilty for not spending quality time with their kids, they make impressive purchases. Sadly, the result is just a spoiled child with classmates that envy them and expect the same from their own parents.

Another common reason that parents keep up this materialistic behavior is that they do not want their kids to miss out on things they never had. In a way, they are living vicariously through their kids by purchasing the latest toys, as they wish they had the same treatment when they were younger. Though their heart may be in the right place, they are only ending up with demanding kids who will expect everyone to lavish them with gifts at their request.

Parents can curb this materialistic attitude by encouraging their kids to buy their own toys with an allowance that they earn. They are also advised to require their kids to choose one or two items they want, such as for a birthday gift, as showering them with all the things they want can lead to a spoiled attitude.

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Why the Technology World is Chatting About Google+

July 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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If you have not tried Google+ yet, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. What makes this site different from Facebook and other social media networks that are constantly talked about? While its success is not guaranteed, you should get an idea of what you are about to experience, or what you will be missing out on if you choose to ignore this newer aspect of the technology field.

One of the main details that sets it apart from other social media sites is the advent of circles. These are groups that allow you to divide your friends on the site into categories. You can separate your best friends from acquaintances, and your family from coworkers and bosses. You would probably never say to your boss what you would say to a friend or family member, yet censoring yourself online is no fun when you just want to express how you’re feeling. Do it without losing your professional reputation by using circles on Google+.

You can also easily video chat with your friends when you are all online together. Other similar sites have text chat, but not the video capability, while some sites focus on allowing just video chatting, but they do not make it easy for your friends to gather at one time. You can also use this tool for business, such as when working from home, as video conferencing with your boss or coworkers can make you feel like you are practically at the office, without having to deal with the traffic.

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