8 Money Lessons to Teach Kids This Holiday Season

The holiday shopping season is in full swing, which means it’s a great opportunity to teach kids lessons around money. What are the best ways to do this? 

 

Steve Siebold, author of the book How Money Works, offers these tips:

 

·       Make your budget before you shop, and have your kids help. Explain that X amount of money is to pay for everyday necessities like the mortgage, electric, etc., and that Y amount is leftover for purchasing gifts.  

·       This is a perfect chance to teach your kids about the dangers of credit cards – and just because the credit company gives you a $10,000 limit, it’s a bad idea to use it all unless you know you can pay it off comfortably at the end of the month.  Encourage your kids to use cash whenever possible.  

·       Teach children that there are good deals to be had this holiday season, but be mentally tough to know when enough is enough.

·       Teach children not to get caught up in the moment. If your shopping cart is overflowing, step back, regroup and make sure you can really afford everything you plan to purchase.

·       There’s no shame in explaining to your children that this year will be a lean holiday season when it comes to exchanging gifts. 

·       Teach your children that when it comes to money this holiday season, put your emotions on the shelf and let reason be your guide. 

·       Teach your children not to fall for marketing campaigns that make you feel as if you’re getting a great deal when you’re really not (i.e. buy it today – pay for it tomorrow)  

·       Remember that kids learn by example. Even parents who have failed to reach their financial dreams can still teach their kids important lessons about money during the holiday season. After all, your kids are watching your every move.

Please consider these tips from Siebold as you cover the holiday shopping season this year. I’m also happy to put you in touch with him if you’d like to speak with him. 

 

www.howmoneyworks.com

How to save money on packing supplies when moving?

When relocation to a new home requires detailed planning of the budget. And as you get into more details of your moving expenses, you realize it can get pretty costly. That’s why you need to cut some of the costs down. One of the ways to save some money is by packing your items wisely. We prepared a couple of tips on how to save money on packing supplies when moving – and you’ll see, they’re pretty easy to do!

Be practical and don’t spend more than necessary 

One of the most common ways people spend a lot of money when moving is by getting more packing supplies than they need. So, if you want to save money on packing supplies when moving, be sure to get just enough. Before you start packing, you should go through your items, and even make an inventory list. This way you’ll know the exact number of items ready for the move, so you can pick all the necessary supplies. This way, you won’t waste money and throw away the leftover packing supplies.

Get packing supplies for free

If you’ve got a growing family and need a bigger house, you probably need to save as much money as possible. Buying a house and relocation can get expensive, so you should do everything you can to save money on packing supplies when moving. One of the best ways to do it is to find them for free! If you start planning your move on time, this task should be easy. Where can you find free packing supplies? Well, there area couple of options. You can go to the local liquor store and ask them to give you some leftover boxes. You can also visit a local bookstore, Starbucks, furniture store, etc. Also, be sure to check Craigslist, the place where you can get free moving boxes and other supplies from people who don’t need them anymore. And finally – ask your friends and family who recently moved, they probably have some packing supplies left.

Figure 1 If you need to save money on packing supplies when moving, you need to be systematic and plan every detail ov the move. alt.tag: a man holding a piggy bank used to save money on packing supplies when moving

Downsize your move 

If you have fewer items to move, you’ll have fewer items to pack. Therefore, you can save money on packing supplies and also save a lot of time. Relocation is the perfect chance to get rid of all of those items you’ve been saving for years but you never use. These include outdated, damaged, old, too big/small items your family doesn’t need. Being organized is one of those lifestyle changes that can help you save money in the long run, too. And when it comes to moving, decluttering your home means fewer packing supplies and lower moving costs, too! 

Bonus tip: By decluttering your home, you can even make some money! Don’t throw everything away, but sort the items out and check if any of them are in good condition. You can sell them on a garage sale or online, and make some money for your move. For more moving advice, you can check out our moving hacks to move like a pro.

Use the items you already have in your home 

You don’t need to buy all brand-new packing supplies to pack everything for the move. It’s possible to use the things you already have in your house. Instead of the moving boxes, you can pack items in tote bags, suitcases and plastic boxes Also, sturdy garbage bags can be a great piece of packing supplies, especially for clothes. And when it comes to the packing paper – protect your items with towels, linens and old newspapers. So, if you a creative enough, you can definitely save money on packing supplies in many ways.

Rent 

If you need a lot of moving boxes, maybe you should consider renting them from a professional moving company. Also, if you rent plastic, reusable boxes, you can have a more eco-friendly move. This option can be quite affordable, so start browsing your options right away. 

Figure 2 Renting moving boxes is an effective way to save money on packing supplies when moving - be sure to calculate your moving costs first. alt.tag: calculator and a small house figure

Avoid additional costs 

When you are trying to save money on packing supplies, you shouldn’t risk the safety of your items. It is important to pack the fragile and expensive things safely, to avoid damaging them and therefore increasing the costs of your move. The same way you want to make your home safer on a budget, you should protect your valuables while trying to save money. Have priorities when packing your items, so you use high-quality packing supplies when packing them.

Figure 3 Pack your items safely so you don't make any mistakes and spend more than necessary. alt.tag: items packed in a box, with a key

Let a pro pack your items

If you are not very skillful or simply don’t have enough time to slowly and carefully pack your items – it’s maybe best to hire a professional to help you out. This way you will make sure thatall your items are professionally packed and safe – which is sometimes more affordable than you think. Also, not everyone is capable of packing everything by themselves. For example, seniors might need some assistance when moving house, so hiring someone experienced is definitely worth it.

Don’t rush

Rushing your moving process and doing everything in a hurry is not safe – for you, your items, or your moving budget. That’s why it’s essential to have a plan and stay properly organized throughout your packing and moving process. The best way to make sure you are not hurrying is to make a checklist of all the tasks you need to do and then check them as you go. Pack your house systematically – room by room. Start with the rooms/items you rarely use and work your way towards the everyday items. This way, you’ll have an effective system for your packing, which will enable you not to make any mistakes and also help you save money on packing supplies when moving.

Author’s bio:

Jenny is a marketing specialist who enjoys blogging on various topics. She’s interested in social media and the way it can be used for promotion. She loves cooking and making short trips over the weekend.

 

Self-Made Millionaire/Author's 8 Tips for Parents Teaching Their Kids How Money Works

All parents want nothing but the best for their kids, and that includes growing up to be successful in life. But when it comes to money, many parents struggle terribly to teach their kids about it. The good news: even parents who haven’t been financially successful themselves can teach their kids everything they need to know about money including how misunderstood it is by the masses.

Steve Siebold is author of the new book “How Money Works: Stop Being a Sucker,” and is a self-made millionaire who has interviewed more than 1,300 of the world’s wealthiest people over the last 35 years.  

His 8 tips to help parents teach their kids how money works:

-        Teach your kids to dream big: The self-made rich are the biggest dreamers in the world, and parents encourage their kids to dream beyond what they think is possible. The truth is that not all their ideas are winners, but that doesn’t discourage them from thinking about it. Encourage you kids to dream about whatever it is that motivates, excites and drives them. 

-        Teach your kids to build a healthy relationship with money: Unfortunately, most people see money through the eyes of fear and scarcity. The wealthy teach their kids to look at money as a positive force in their lives, and see it through the eyes of freedom, possibility, abundance and opportunity.

-        Teach your kids that wealth is nonlinear: School and most of what you learn is going to teach you to think in linear terms or in a straight line. 123. ABC. Unfortunately, the serious problems in society are rarely solved at this basic level of thought. Encourage your kids to look at things in as many different ways as possible, and in ways that other people never even consider. Teach them that linear thinking is the obvious. Nonlinear thinking is the nonobvious.  Linear thinking will make your kids a living. Nonlinear thinking will make them rich.

-        Teach your kids to maintain a sense of urgency: Teach your kids that with each passing year, time seems to accelerate, so they must operate with a sense of urgency. The masses procrastinate, stall and put-off fulfilling their commitments to the very last minute, which is often too late. Teach your kids it starts now by completing their class assignments, homework, chores, sports or music practice, and anything else they commit to in advance or at least on time.

-        Teach your kids to embrace conflict: Most people avoid conflict at all costs. They hate it. Teach your kids that constructive conflict can be a valuable learning mechanism. When smart people disagree on ideas, philosophies and strategies, new levels of understanding can be reached. Teach your kids to keep their emotions out of conflict and look at it through the eyes of logic and learning. If they do this, they’ll be able to use conflict to learn, grow, be more successful and make more money. Remember, conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional.

-        Teach your kids to fail forward: Teach your kids that success is usually built on a series of attempts and failures. Most of the world views failure as a death sentence. Instead of learning from the failure and moving forward, most people shrink back into their comfort zones and play it safe for the rest of their lives. Teach your kids that failure isn’t fun, but it is the required foundation of making it big. Making mistakes and the education they will give you is to be expected and embraced.

-        Teach your kids to take responsibility: Teach your kids they are responsible for their success, fulfillment and happiness. Most people like to blame everyone and everything but themselves for their struggles. It’s never their faults because they refuse to grow up and accept the fact that they are makers of their own destinies. Teach your kids not to wait for the hero on the white horse to come riding in to save them. They are the heroes and they are 100% responsible for saving themselves.

-        Teach your kids to cocoon themselves: Teach your kids to be selective over who gains access to their inner circle. The masses see this as an elitist action successful people take to isolate themselves from others because they think they’re better. That’s simply not true. Cocooning is about protecting your consciousness from the fear and scarcity mindsets that plagues the masses. Dr. Albert Einstein said, “Consciousness is contagious,” and he couldn’t be righter. Your kids will be the average of the five people they spend the most time with.

Master the fun, creative, and colorful methods of paint pouring with THE ULTIMATE FLUID POURING & PAINTING PROJECT BOOK

Create colorful paintings, resin coasters, agate slices, vases, vessels & more! 

THE ULTIMATE FLUID POURING & PAINTING PROJECT BOOK

INSPIRATION AND TECHNIQUES FOR USING ALCOHOL INKS, ACRYLICS, RESIN, AND MORE

Discover and master the fun, creative, and colorful methods of fluid pouring and painting with 10 projects, customizable to your personal vision and open to endless variation with The Ultimate Fluid Pouring & Painting Project Book(Quarry Books / November 12, 2019 / US $22.99). 

Fluid pouring and painting can result in beautiful, organic, and abstract designs that can be captured on special papers, canvas and board substrates, used to make gorgeous lampshades, poured into molds or dishes to create coasters, geodes, and agate slices, and can even be formed into vases, vessels, and bowls. Join mixed-media artist and international instructor Jane Monteith, a master of the fluid artforms and creator of the stunningly beautiful and popular paintings called MOD Minis, in this wildly popular new art form.

For both novice and experienced artists, this expressive book shares detailed, comprehensive techniques for working with high flow inks and acrylic paints. The Ultimate Fluid Pouring & Painting Project Book guides you through a variety of different fluid projects, from fluid-painted collage to resin-poured paints on different substrates. You will:

• Learn to use various tools and solutions to create beautiful colors and textures on paper.
• Learn how to work with resin and avoid common mistakes to produce a flawless finish.
• Gain an understanding of basic color theory and which color combinations go hand in hand to create elegant designs.
• Become knowledgeable on what types of products to use to create various effects.
• Understand how to seal and protect your work for years to come.

With these creative projects, you'll be making your own beautiful fluid artwork in no time!

                                                                                                                                               

Jane Monteith is a mixed media artist, online educator, and influencer. While Jane was trained in advertising and marketing, she transitioned into working and creating her own art several years ago. Sharing her love of color, texture, and fluid art forms has gained Jane a large fan following, and her work has been sold worldwide. She immigrated from England to Canada in 1981 and now lives just north of Toronto. For more on Jane visit instagram.com/janelovesdesign, janemonteith.com, and youtube.com/janemonteith.

How to Get the Best Price When Selling Your Lamborghini

Selling a high-end sports car like a Lamborghini is particularly challenging. Not because there is no demand, but because the vast majority of people who contact you aren’t serious buyers. Most people have no intention of putting up the money required to own a slice of luxury. They are simply car enthusiasts and want the opportunity to have a look around, sit in, or drive a Lamborghini.

For convenience, many sellers prefer to get a quote and sell directly to an exotic car trader, details at webuyexotics.com. Even when selling to a dealer, there are things you can do as the seller to ensure you receive the maximum offer available for your Lamborghini sports car.

Give Your Lamborghini Some Curb Appeal

If any car has ‘curb appeal’ it is a Lamborghini. But even so, don’t just rely on the Lambo lure to dazzle potential buyers. Make it look the best it possibly can by having it detailed and washed, ensuring any dent or scrapes have been fixed and the vehicle is up to date on its maintenance schedule and cleaning the windows.

The more valuable the car is, and the better the car’s condition,the more obvious any minor scratches and scrapes appear. As a result, it pays to have a vehicle professionally detailed before buyers have the chance to view the car.

A nice addition is to wipe any dust off of the wheel covers and ceramic brake pads. These are a major allure to buyers and having glossed tires, sparkling wheels, and shiny brake pads will leave buyers impressed.

Get a Mechanic to Issue a Report

Many buyers like to have an independent mechanic issue a report, and there are many services on the market that allow buyers to have a car inspected before they hand over the cash. But having a mechanics report ready for any prospective buyer who might be in a rush could be the gentle nudge the buyer needs to get the sale moving.

Don’t Bother with Laptop Negotiations

Anyone that opens negotiations via an email or message stating, “what is the lowest price you will accept,” is not worth your time or effort. If they were a serious buyer, who had the money to invest in a car of this calibre, wouldn’t be asking for the “lowest price”, or initiating negotiations without having seen the car. Those messages need filing where they belong; in the trash.

 Meet Buyers Outside a Police Station

If you are going to sell your vehicle privately, don’t have prospective buyers visit your home, and don’t drive to a remote location. Unfortunately, selling a luxury sports car privately can leave sellers vulnerable to crime and theft.

Arranging to meet prospective buyers outside a police station acts as a deterrent to would-be criminals who are using the viewing as an opportunity to scope out your property or intend to steal your car at the rendezvous.

Taking these measures will help you secure the highest possible offer for your vehicle while keeping you and your property safe.

 

7 Tricks to Save Money When Moving to Your Family to Minneapolis

If you are planning to move to the Twin Cities any time soon, it is important to consider the timing of your move very closely. Minneapolis is known for its harsh winter weather. Therefore, if you are planning to move your family to anywhere in this area, you need to choose the months of June, July, and August. Once you have made this decision, you can begin to make the rest of your plan. Here are 7 tricks to help you save money on moving your family.

1. Consider Driving The Truck When You Rent

Saving money on your move takes a little extra effort, research and time but it is all well worth it in the long run. You need to know every aspect of the move that you make in order to make informed decisions. For instance, taking the traditional routes with your plans can be a huge mistake and a financial burden that you completely avoid if you know how to choose viable alternatives. One of the biggest cost savings during a long distance move to the Twin Cities is the transportation that you use. Usually, hiring a moving truck for the transport means paying drivers to carry your furniture and other personal belongings across the country. However, if you want to save on this cost, talk to the Suddath Minneapolis local movers about renting the truck but putting your name down as your own long distance driver.

2. Throw a Packing Party

To be creative in everything that you do, you need to see if there are some alternatives to minimize the cost of the move in every area. With a true commitment to tighten the money belt, you can even make these tricks to the trade fun and enjoyable. For instance, throw your family and friends a packing party. With a little pizza, soft drinks, chips, ice cream and a full night of music, you can have everything packed and ready to go on time before the movers arrive.

3. Don't Pay for Boxes- Get Free Boxes

Keep your eyes on the amount that you spend on buying supplies, too. You can also be creative in eliminating the expenses of buying tons of boxes. Instead, you can search for free boxes from a variety of sources. Here are just a few suggestions that can assist you in creating your own list of resources.

 

● Warehouse clubs

● Liquor stores

● Other retailers

● Craigslist

● Friends

● Family

4. Shop Around for the Best Moving Quotes

Even though you may have a specific moving company in mind and the rates are good, you should still shop around. For instance, you may find that some companies will also offer discounts to you. If you are a member of the military, AAA and other organizations, you can save on the cost of the entire moving expenses.

5. Make Money for the Move Before You Leave

Since moving can be expensive, you can also find ways to reduce the cost that you pay. One of the best ways is to sell items in your home that you do not want to take with you. In some cases, these items may cost more to move than the present value. In these situations, you can sell these items for money before the day of the move.

6. Relocation Cost - Cover by Your Company

When you are relocating to the Twin Cities because of your job, you should talk to your company about covering the cost. Based on the policy of the company, you may receive a lump sum in advance to pay for everything.

7. Don't forget to save your receipts

Moving is an expense that you can use on your taxes too. So, save all the receipts to reduce your tax burden.

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2019 Thanksgiving Black Friday & Holiday Shopping Reports

With the hectic holiday season fast approaching, I wanted to drop you a quick note to make sure you didn’t miss any of WalletHub’s recent holiday studies and reports, highlights of which you can find below.

• Stage, Belk and Bealls Florida are 2019’s Best Stores for Black Friday, offering an average discount of at least 62.6%.
   
• Over 12% of items at major retailers will be more expensive on Black Friday than their current Amazon.com prices.
   
• Jewelry will offer the most value on Black Friday 2019 relative to its current prices, while consumer electronics are expected to have the least rewarding deals.
   
• 27% of consumers will spend less on holiday shopping this year than last year, according to WalletHub’s 2019 Holiday Shopping Survey.
   
• Target, Walmart and Sephora top the list of 2019’s Best Gift Cards.
   
• Consumers can save $300+ with one of 2019’s Best Credit Cards for Holiday Shopping.
   
• Some consumers already have access to little-known credit card benefits that can come in handy over the holidays, including price-drop protection and coverage for damaged or stolen items.
   
• All store credit cards do not charge an annual fee, and the average card offering rewards in the form of discounts gives you more than 26% off your first purchase, according to WalletHub’s 2019 Store Card Landscape Report.
   
• Most of the major retailers offering 0% financing use a dangerous feature called deferred interest, which has the potential to make holiday purchases up to 27.5 times more expensive than expected.

Christmas Projects Parents Love To Give And Receive

Adorable photo ornaments make perfect gifts for every parent, grandparent and loved one. All the items needed for these projects can be found at dollar tree except for the photos which can be printed for a couple bucks at any photo printing place or if you have a Fujifilm Instax mini camera you can take shots right there and have them ready instantly! 

Mini magnetic canvases make for adorable gifts as well and can be found at Walmart or dollar tree. Simply use the child’s fingerprints and dip them in colourful paint and press them evenly spaced on the canvas and draw on the cord to create a simple strand of fingerprint Christmas lights. 

Many parents don’t want to spend money on a gingerbread house that is not going to be eaten. I take the time each year to buy them on clearance and save them for an entire year because they are gross to eat anyways. Saving them isn’t hard just stick them in your Christmas box and forget them til next Christmas. But if you haven’t done that you can make tiny little graham cracker houses that are equally as adorable and cost less, plus the kids can eat them and use up any extra Halloween candy they had hanging around.

These little projects were perfect for our daycare which means they will be perfect for any child to enjoy this holiday season! 

Best Things to Buy on Black Friday’ Report: 18% of Items Offer No Savings

With 52 percent of American consumers saying that Black Friday no longer offers the best deals of the year, the personal-finance website WalletHub took an in-depth look at 2019's Best Things to Buy on Black Friday. WalletHub determined that 18 percent of items offer no savings compared with their pre-Black Friday prices.
 
To find out whether shoppers are really getting the best deals, WalletHub compared the “Pre-Black Friday Price” against the actual Black Friday price of a broad selection of items. In doing so, WalletHub identified the offers that are truly worth the hassle of partaking in the year’s biggest shopping craze.
 
Top 10 Deals (Additional Discount for Waiting Until Black Friday)
 

1. Lifetime Dual Entry Shed ($800)

2. ThinkPad T470 Laptop ($450)

3. Radiant Cedar Infrared Corner Sauna ($728)

4. JBL 3.1 Channel Soundbar ($251)

5. iBUYPOWER Desktop OD 095IV2 ($600)

6. Traeger Pro Series 34 Grill ($700)

7. Xbox One X 1TB Star Wars Bundle ($144)

8. LG 6.3 cu. ft. Electric Range ($601)

9. Walton 56 in. 3-in-1 TV Stand ($441)

10. Windsor Design Workbench ($465)

 

Top 5 Product Categories

1. Jewelry (70%)

2. Books, Movies & Music (44%)

3. Apparel & Accessories (39%)

4. Consumer Packaged Goods (37%)

5. Toys (33%)

 

Worst 5 Product Categories

6. Appliances (32%)

7. Video Games (Software Only) (30%)

8. Computers & Phones (27%)

9. Furniture (26%)

10. Consumer Electronics (25%)

 
For the full report, please visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-items-for-black-friday/16901/
 
And for the latest Black Friday deals (updated daily), please visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/black-friday-ads/16713/ 

Sewer Is The Key For Safer Earth

Having sewers is important to keep the earth clean and maintain hygiene. They are needed to keep humans safe from diseases. It collects the wastewater from all the sources connected to it and then takes it to the point of treatment or disposal. The wastewater it carries can be domestic or industrial or storm runoff, or a combination of the three. It is always advised to get the sewer designed from sewer contractors because they are experts and very well known for their working.

 

There are 3 types of sewerage systems that help to keep the environment safe:

 

1. Separate System - Separate systems can be of 2 types- domestic or sanitary sewage and industrial sewage. One can also be created to carry the storm water. While the water from the first 2 types of sewages is directly taken for treatment, the storm water is discharged straight into a natural stream or river without going through any treatment.

 

The advantage of having these sewers is that the amount of sewage that is to be treated is small. Due to that, treatment work of smaller size is required, and the treatment units will have to face lesser load. And when it comes to the storm water, because it is less polluted it is directly released in the natural stream or river.

 

But there are a few disadvantages as well of these sewers. It is difficult to clean such sewers because of their small size and, they are likely to get choked from time to time. They can be costly because the system requires two sets of sewers to deal with wastewater. Only experienced sewer contractors can design it properly to fulfill the needs of a safe environment.

 

2. Combined System - Unlike the separate system, this system is having a single set of sewers to carry domestic or sanitary sewage and industrial sewage along with the storm water. So, in this system, even the stormwater goes for treatment before the final disposal.

 

As there is only a single set of sewers, the cost of maintenance remains low as compared to the separate system. And, as the size of the systems is large the chances of getting choked also reduces and it becomes easy to clean it.

 

Though it is beneficial, it is having a few drawbacks as well. The construction cost of these sewers will be high because of their large size. As the size of these sewers is large, sometimes it becomes difficult to transport the wastewater. Also, due to be a combined system it unnecessarily pollutes the storm water.

 

 

Make sure you have selected the right sewer contractors for its construction keeping the needs in mind.

 

3. Partially Separate System - In this sewer system, the domestic or sanitary sewage, industrial sewage, and the storm water (drained from back yards and roofs of houses) are sent in the same set of sewers. Whereas the storm water drained from the house fronts, streets and roads are collected and transported in a separate set of open drains.

 

The wastewater from the first set goes for treatment while the water from the second set is released straight in the natural streams or rivers. So, it is having the benefits of both, separate and combined systems. Also, as the size of sewers is reasonable the cleaning process becomes a bit easy.

The only drawback this system has is that the storm water in sewers can increase the load on pumping and treatment units. So, it must be constructed by skilled sewer contractors.

 

To look for the best sewer contractors, you need to search online about its reviews, services, and the cost and then approach the right one for an effective and safe sewer.