From understanding market moves and risk management techniques through trial-and-error processes to developing sound strategies over time – experiencing these gains firsthand before entering actual trades can be a game changer for traders. This article will explore why demo trading accounts are important and explain how even long-term investors can benefit from using them.

Defining Demo Trading Accounts – What They Are and How They Work

Investors and traders must reserve significant amounts of time, money, and resources to begin trading financial assets. Luckily, there is a way to mitigate these risks and still participate in trading – demo trading accounts. These accounts allow individuals to trade with virtual currency in a simulated trading environment that mimics the real-world market.

By delivering a low-risk, low-cost way for individuals to familiarise themselves with the trade process and track their progress, demo accounts offer an excellent opportunity for traders to test a trading strategy before committing to natural capital. Whether you are a novice seeking to build confidence or an experienced trader trying to validate your strategy, it is crucial to understand how demo trading accounts work and how they can be leveraged to help you succeed.

Benefits of Demo Trading Accounts – Get Familiar with the Markets & Learn Risk Management

Using a demo trading account is one of the quickest and most effective ways to become familiar with the markets. It enables investors to practice their strategies without risking real money and learn from their mistakes before putting capital at stake. This environment also allows traders to understand how fear, emotions, and greed can play out in live market conditions – all without incurring financial consequences.

Risk management is an essential skill that all traders should develop, and demo trading accounts can provide invaluable experience in this area. By understanding how to distribute risk appropriately and diversify their portfolio, investors can apply these skills when deciding to make actual trades. Demo trading accounts allow individuals to experiment with various strategies without worrying about the consequences of failure.

Developing Your Knowledge & Practice Strategies Without Financial Risk

Demo trading accounts also allow investors to practice strategies in a live market without risking their capital. It can immensely benefit beginners by allowing them to learn about the markets and develop their knowledge before moving on to more complex trades. Experienced traders can benefit from demo trading accounts, too – they offer a safe environment to test out new strategies and ideas without fear of losing money.

In addition, demo trading accounts can be used to find the right broker for your needs. By experimenting with different brokers in different environments, traders can decide which best meets their requirements before investing in natural capital.

Steps To Take When Creating a Demo Trading Account

Creating a demo trading account is straightforward – most brokers typically offer this service, and the process can be completed in a few easy steps. Firstly, you must select which type of brokerage account you want to open. Most brokers offer different types of accounts with varying features and access levels, so it is vital to determine which best meets your needs before making any decisions.

Next, you must provide personal information and set up your account credentials. Once all the details are in place, you can access your demo trading account and begin practicing with virtual funds. It is important to remember that this process may vary slightly between brokers, so checking their requirements before proceeding is wise.

Setting Up Your Parameters & Diving into the Markets

Once you have created your account, it is time to explore the markets. Before getting started, you will need to set up some parameters, such as risk tolerance and trading strategy. It is essential because it allows investors to plan how they will approach their trades. It also helps them identify potential risks and rewards within the market conditions before committing any real money.

Once these parameters are set, traders can experiment with different strategies and market conditions in their demo trading accounts. It is an excellent way for investors to gain experience without any financial risk – as long as they adhere to the account rules, they can learn valuable lessons about risk management, position sizing, and more without exposing themselves to actual capital losses.

The post Mastering the Markets: How Demo Trading Accounts Can Accelerate Your Skills appeared first on All The Frugal Ladies.

You want people to think through how they’ll use your yard and any other outdoor spaces just as much as they think about the interior, since all of it contributes to their happiness with their chosen home. When selling your home, keep these five tips in mind.

Basic Lawn Care Can Be Transformative

You might think of staging as all about furniture and accessories, but outside, a well-kept, thriving yard is one of the most important accessories!

Get some landscaping done to keep any overgrowth at bay and remove any unsightly dead or dying plants, and learn what it will take to keep the whole place looking lush through until after you sell the house. 

Less is More If It Matches and Harmonizes

Your experienced real estate agent will tell you that, even if you normally have thirty friends and family over and as such have six mismatched sets of patio chairs, they shouldn’t all be on display for the staging of your home.

Instead, focus on a single higher-quality set that makes your space look large and comfortable but doesn’t necessarily have seating for every person you know.

Reducing the outdoor furniture, particularly if your set is eclectic, adds an orderly appearance and harmony.

The Front Door and Step Matter a Lot

If you’re only going to carefully stage one spot, make it the area around the front door. From a welcome mat to a wreath on the door to a nice storm door and a nice bench, making that front entrance look very inviting and well-designed is a great way to make a good first impression.

Remember that this is one of the spots that your potential buyers will definitely be standing for at least a moment, taking in the home, and so give them something lovely to look at.

Toys and Gear Can Find a New Home

Even though most of your prospective buyers also have workshop tools and children’s bikes lying around at home, leaving these things out in the yard or other outdoor spaces gives a look of being lived-in and cluttered.

The goal with staging is as much about moving things out of the space as it is about which items stay, and a tidy yard, patio, or deck with no toys or personal gear is a great way to make the whole space more personalizable in the minds of buyers, ready for their own stuff to take up residence after you sell the home.

A Hint of Luxury Doesn’t Hurt

While not every homeowner wants to bring in other items to stage their patio, remember that many outdoor set-ups veer toward luxury these days.

If you have a pool that you haven’t really accessorized, consider borrowing or renting some beautiful lounge chairs to really showcase the lifestyle that the buyers can expect.

Any ultra-comfortable, beautiful outdoor furniture can turn a normal backyard into a resort-like space that buyers can really fall in love with.

The post 5 Outdoor Staging Tips for Selling Your Home In Houston appeared first on All The Frugal Ladies.

However, it’s important not to get too overwhelmed. It is possible to narrow down your choices if you know where to get started.

In this article, we will talk about just five tips to help you find your perfect wedding venue.

Establish your budget

One of the most critical steps you should take before making any future wedding arrangements is to organize your budget. Unfortunately, weddings can be expensive, and if you want to save money, you’ll need to make sure you are aware of all of the upcoming costs.

Wedding venue prices can vary significantly, depending on the services that are offered. Generally speaking, the more work they have to do, such as decorating, catering, etc. – the more expensive it will be.

Browse options online

Once you know how much you want to spend, you can start the process of browsing venues. Of course, you can immediately begin by booking tours, but it’s worth looking online to get an idea of what type of places suit your chosen theme.

While many websites won’t give you prices, you can reach out for quotes and look at their images. You’ll also be able to read up on testimonials and reviews from other happy couples.

Check out one of the best Salt Lake City wedding venues here to get started.

Have a guest list

You don’t need to have a complete guest list when you start looking at venues, but it can help. Knowing rough numbers will make it easier to rule out specific locations.

For instance, some venues may only cater for smaller, more intimate weddings, while others are more suitable for larger amounts of guests. You don’t want to fall in love with a place before you are confident you can invite all of your loved ones.

Create a list of questions

Once you’re ready to start looking at your top picks, don’t forget to write down some questions to ask. Of course, pricing is essential, but there are a few other things that you’ll want to know.

Some things you’ll need to add to your list include:

• What is your cancellation policy?
• Is parking for guests available?
• Do you have a weather contingency plan?
• Do you require a deposit?

Reach out to others for recommendations

Finally, if you still have trouble finding a great venue, don’t be scared to reach out to others for recommendations. You’ll get a good insight into how the venues operate and see other photographs of how they can look completely decorated.

Alongside your own family and friends, check out forums and Facebook groups. Who knows, you might just pick up some other wedding planning tips too.

Final words

And that’s it! These are just five tips to help you find your perfect wedding venue. So keep calm, relax and follow the necessary steps. Once you’ve found the one, you’ll know it and can work towards planning all the other fun parts of your big day.

Good luck! 

The post 5 Tips to Find the Perfect Wedding Venue appeared first on All The Frugal Ladies.

These institutions always try to target women, advertising that they can make all their financial troubles disappear in the blink of an eye.

They choose economically depressed areas to set up a business and focus on attracting low-wage workers, financially troubled immigrants, and single mothers as potential customers.

What are payday loans?

Payday loans are short-term loans given by store-front lending institutions. They mostly have a duration of a couple of weeks and don’t need a good credit score to apply.

But the most jarring thing about payday loans is that it has off-the-roof interest rates. The interest rates can go up to 700%, which is extremely high for a short-term loan.

When in a financial bind, these payday loans look appealing because they are easy to get, but they don’t show how badly they might trap you in their cycle.

Why and how are women targeted?

As discussed before, payday loan institutions set up their establishments in distressed places, where jobs are less and income low.

Historically, because of unfair economic circumstances, women were, and still are in some communities, kept away from the matters related to money. Due to this reason, many women, including Person Of Color communities, have been preyed on by payday lenders.

These economically disadvantaged communities are targeted since they may not have standard banking services. In addition, they are misinformed about how to deal with their finances because of the lack of financial literacy.

Payday loans, which are marketed as a way to assist those who are struggling to pay their bills, are nothing but predatory lending. Payday lenders do not check to see if you can afford the loan; they only check to see if you are employed and have a bank account.

Another issue that leads women into more and more financial trouble is the gender pay gap. Many women, especially women of color, are the sole earners of their families.

Moreover, single mothers are likely to be the breadwinners and primary support to look after their children. As a result of the gender pay gap, they struggle to make ends meet because they are underpaid.

Women who make too little money and live paycheck to paycheck are always on the brink of an economic catastrophe. People with low incomes are less capable of building credit, getting out of debt, and breaking the poverty cycle.

Payday lenders frequently justify their practices by stating that poorer Americans with bad credit need loans such as these to cover unexpected expenses. Payday lenders say that their quick cash option will them in tough times.

Living paycheck to paycheck doesn’t come with a budget that has ample flexibility. Women trying to make ends meet find no other solution other than looking for places where they can get a loan even with bad credit.

Moreover, payday lenders create advertisements to solely address troubled people, allowing them to pay their dues by getting quick cash. 

Payday loan laws women should be aware of

States are primarily responsible for monitoring payday loans, but federal law provides some payday loan laws as protections for borrowers.

 It is mandated by the Truth in Lending Act that you be given a written estimate of how much you will owe on the loan before you agree to take the loan. The finance charge and annual percentage rate (APR) must be disclosed to you. Despite what you’ve just learned, you may still be unaware of payday loans’ actual cost.

Lenders are required to look into the borrower’s financial situation to determine whether they will be able to repay the loan while managing daily financial obligations. The lenders also must provide a notice to the borrower before collecting the amount from their account.

Also, after two failed attempts to debit the account, the lender cannot try again without the borrower’s permission. This rule was first proposed in 2016, and by June 2022, this will become a mandatory one.

Sixteen states have issued bans against payday lending, and around seven have imposed strict laws like having a term limit, capped fees, and limiting the number of loans per person to help provide some protection to the borrowers.

Few Payday loan alternatives women should try

Despite the high costs, people occasionally require quick access to cash, which is where payday loans come in. However, there are a few alternatives to payday loans:

• Bad credit loan: This is a good option if you have a credit score below 690. Some online lenders provide loans to people with bad credit or high debt to income ratios. These lenders offer fast funding.
  
  After you are approved, it takes about one to two days for the money to transfer to your account. If you’re not sure if you’ll be approved for a bad credit loan, you can pre-qualify to see what lenders will offer you.
  
  Pre-qualifying with multiple lenders allows you to compare financing options without affecting your credit score.

• Credit union loans: if you are a credit union member or are eligible to be one, then you have the option to go for credit union loans.
  
  If your credit union provides you with a payday loan alternative loan, you can use that to your advantage. You can borrow up to $1000 to $2000 with an interest rate of 28% and a 12-month repayment period.

• A Side Hustle: Having a side hustle is another way to get some extra cash on hand. You can try online tutoring, freelance writing or graphic designing, or something in your niche that may help you earn some money on the side.

• A Family loan: Another option is to seek financial assistance from close family or friends. This way, the high-interest rates can be avoided. You can devise a repayment strategy that specifies how much money you’re borrowing, when, and how you’ll repay it.

Keep in mind that Bad Credit Loans and Credit Union Loans report all actions like late and on-time payments to the credit bureaus, which might affect your credit score.

Conclusion

Even after years of progress in protecting borrowers, payday lending keeps growing. Considering other sources of funding is a better option.

Read the fine print of credit agreements, and familiarize yourself with your rights as a consumer and the range of rates available for the type of loan you seek if you require money. Also, educating yourself about your finances and learning how the lending market works would be helpful to you in the future.

Taking more initiative toward capping interest rates providing fair wages, and promoting financial education should also help women have a better lifestyle. However, all of this will only work when the effort is put into properly eradicating this problem women are facing.

Author’s Bio: Lyle Solomon has extensive legal experience as well as in-depth knowledge and experience in consumer finance and writing. He has been a member of the California State Bar since 2003.

He graduated from the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California, in 1998, and currently works for the Oak View Law Group in California as a principle attorney.

The post How Payday Loans Prey On Struggling Women appeared first on All The Frugal Ladies.

They can either struggle financially or take on a second job. If this is your situation, the best thing to do is to take on that second job so you can afford to maintain your standard of living and not sacrifice your retirement funds.

It also gives you some resilience in case you were to get laid off as you would still have some money coming in while you regroup. The thing about second jobs is that they are not all created equal.

If you are going to work a second job it should be worth it. In this article, we will go over several of the best jobs to work part-time that will help you the most financially.

1. Pest control

One of the key things to look for with regards to a second job is that it be recession-proof. This means that no matter what the economy is like there will always be a need for the service.

Pest control is a perfect example since getting rid of insects and rodents needs to happen even if the economy is not ideal. There are always companies for pest control hiring either full-time or part-time.

This is the other aspect of the job that makes it so attractive to those looking for a second job. These types of jobs are always looking for people because it is not the most glamorous profession.

This works to your advantage because you will be able to work a flexible schedule as you are in demand.

2. Barber

Another recession-proof job is in the hairdressing and barbering field. Although you will need training and have to go to school to get a license, once you are out you will be able to find a job very quickly.

It is best to focus on being a barber over being a hairdresser since there is less competition there. Many people go for hairdressing since the cost of a haircut for women is much more than for men. The thinking is that you make more money this way.

However, you can make as much or more as a barber due to volume. Not only that but it is hard for shops to find qualified barbers that can do shaves so you have a good chance at finding a shop that will work around your schedule.

3. Uber driver

If you have a decent car then you can make money in your spare time as an Uber driver or Uber Eats delivery driver. It is very easy to do since you sign up for the app and then can set it up to work whenever you have time.

You don’t have to be on anybody else’s schedule but your own so you can work as much or as little as you like. Since you don’t have a boss, nobody can tell you that you have to work when you have something else come up.

Likewise, you aren’t limited in the hours you work by having to stick to a schedule. You can work more hours whenever you want.

The post The 3 Best Second Jobs To Work for Extra Money appeared first on All The Frugal Ladies.

The problem that many people have is that when they are injured, the moment they return to work can feel complicated.

There are rules that everybody has to go by. Human resources have to get involved and make sure that everything is done by the book.

At the same time, you need to make sure that you’re able to go back to work safely. In this article, we will go over the things you need to take into account when you are trying to get back to work after claiming worker’s compensation.

Stay in touch with employer

During your rehab, it is a good idea to keep your employer in the loop. Give them occasional updates on your progress so they understand what the timeline will actually be.

When you were injured you may have been given a rough idea of when you should be able to get back to work but this can change depending on your recovery.

By keeping your employer up to date, this gives them the opportunity to make plans and keeps your relationship in good standing.

This gives them the notice they need to be able to plan for any accommodations that you will need to be able to work again. They may need time to arrange your office furniture so that you can work comfortably and safely as well as any other changes.

This communication can also work against you in that some employers may try to rush you back before you are really recovered. When you feel pressured to return before you are ready then make sure to talk to an attorney for employees as they can tell you how best to handle it.

Stay on schedule

Even when your employer doesn’t try to rush you back to work, you may be tempted to put pressure on yourself to do so.

There is a feeling that you’re letting your team down by not being there. Or, you are a go-getter that doesn’t do well sitting around doing nothing.

The reality is that you aren’t doing anything. You are recovering and it takes time and rest to be able to come back from an injury. Make sure that you give yourself the time to recover so you can go to work safely.

Setbacks can happen when you rush to work too quickly and this is worse than being out for an extended period of time.

Request accommodations

Your doctor will let you know what you are not able to do at work. With these recommendations you can make requests from your employer for accommodations.

You may need to have more frequent breaks, or you are no longer able to lift heavy items. Make a checklist of what you need and pass it along to your employer.

The post How To Return To Work After a Worker’s Compensation Claim appeared first on All The Frugal Ladies.

Family

For a lot of us, family is our greatest consideration. Luckily, Utah is a fantastic place for a family to live, with countless fantastic towns and neighborhoods. With over 30% of Utah’s population being under 18, your kids will fit right in. 

There are plenty of amazing options for your kids in Utah’s education system. You could even send them to a private school in Utah. These schools are an integral part of why Utah’s education system is ranked 8th overall in the US for quality. The educational focus on liberal arts and igniting passion and a lust for knowledge is rooted deep in Utah’s call to adventure and attitude of discovery.

Utah’s neighborhoods are safe and well kept, with some types of crime falling around 35% below the national average! The towns often function as self-sufficiently as possible, which means there’s always a good amount of amenities nearby. 

Of course, Utah is a predominantly rural state, so if you’re used to the hustle and bustle of city life it may come as a culture shock to you. Also, you should probably be prepared to spend a little more time in the car than you’re used to!

Employment

Utah generally has a very low rate of unemployment that mostly averages at below 5%. That means that Utah is filled with opportunities and a great mix of industries to choose from. There is a large healthcare industry across the state which is always employing new staff, and some of the state’s cities like Provo are renowned for their rapidly growing tech businesses.

In Utah, the average household salary is several thousand dollars above the national average. Combine this with the fact that the state has a traditionally low cost of living thanks to its predominantly Mormon heritage, and you may find that you’re far better off in Utah than in your current state!

Utah may seem like a desert state from the outside, but Salt Lake City and Provo are major metropolitan areas, with Salt Lake City being ranked the 13th best city in the US to start a career in. Provo is ranked number 3 in the US for ‘small business vitality” and attracts budding entrepreneurs from all over the nation.

Go Outdoors

Utah is home to five incredible national parks, known as The Mighty Five. The Mighty Five is made of Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Capitol Reef National Park. These incredible sights have led to Utah naming its own 7 wonders of the state.

Thanks to this incredible diversity of natural beauty, the choice of activity is yours! You can spend the day hiking along the many trails of each national park, you can take guided tours to understand the mystifying landscapes around you, or you can take an even more exciting route and go on a white water rafting and canyoning adventure!

Utah’s outdoors is a breathtaking mix of desert, canyons, lakes, rivers, and mountains. Make sure you research your route, fill up on gas, and keep a map handy just in case the wilderness becomes too enticing. 

If you’re a wildlife lover, you will find thriving populations of deer, bighorn sheep, elk, rabbits, birds, bats, foxes, and three kinds of wild cats. There’s plenty to see if you’re patient and lucky enough!

Climate

You can pair Utah’s unbelievable scenery with one of the best climates in the US. Utah’s dry, hot, and long summers leave plenty of time to get outdoors, and despite the winters being cold, they’re so short that you’ll have no trouble staying in and keeping warm. 

The climate does also come with its downsides, with occasional wildfires being sparked either by the dry heat or by the Pacific storms which roll in over California through late Summer. Also, for some, the scorching mid-July temperatures may just be too hot, and the lack of humidity may be a problem. But with a great air conditioning system at home, you should be able to mitigate those factors easily enough and enjoy everything the state has to offer. Once you get used to the desert lifestyle though, you may just fall in love with those hot Summer days. 

Property

Utah’s economy has become much stronger in recent years. Unfortunately, that does have a downside. House prices are rising. Utah is desirable, many people want to move there for its stunning career opportunities and lifestyle. That means there is a shortage of houses. 

Before you move to Utah you should consult a local real estate agent. Their expertise will most likely determine which area you move to, or if you decide to move at all. Although given the high wages in Utah and its great entrepreneurial opportunities, maybe you’ll be able to spend a little more on mortgages or rent. 

While housing can be expensive in the state, the quality of homes you could expect to buy can be extremely high, with many quality developments across all of the key areas. 

Evaluate

You’re going to do plenty of research before you move, so make sure you’ve weighed up all of these factors and really thought about how each one would affect you. Write up a pros and cons list and see what stands out. Moving is a big decision and should definitely not be taken lightly!

The post What You Should Consider Before Moving to Utah appeared first on All The Frugal Ladies.

Since this is such an important part of the day, I’ve compiled five tips on how to get mornings with kids to go smoothly. Please leave tips of your own in the comments below if you have anything else to add that could help out a fellow mom.

1. Try Your Best To Prepare in Advance.

I am usually so tired in the evening, but cleaning my kids’ water bottles, filling and refrigerating them before going to sleep saves me so much time in the morning. Organizing bookbags, preparing school uniforms, and signing permission slips are other tasks that can get done beforehand.

If your kids bring hot lunches in their lunch boxes, you can organize them in advance and refrigerate them overnight. It will save you a lot of time in the morning. My kids eat hot meals prepared by their school so their lunch boxes consist mainly of sandwiches, vegetables, and fruits for their morning snack. I like to prepare this fresh in the morning. If I leave them overnight in the fridge the sandwiches and fruit can get very soggy.

2. Wake Up Before Your Kids

Instead of waking up to chaos and noise and having to rush about as soon as you’ve gotten out of bed, you get to wake up to a quiet house. You have time to drink coffee/tea in peace and calmly get ready for the day ahead. As moms, having this time to ourselves qualifies as self-care and is essential for our well-being.

By the time our kids wake up, we have more patience to deal with all the pushback we might experience from them. We can be fully present and connect with our children without feeling pressured to get ourselves organized on time. We don’t get irritated because we hadn’t taken proper care of ourselves yet. We also don’t have to multitask with getting our children and us ready at the same time.

3. Create an Atmosphere

I always put my kids’ favorite music on before waking them up. The beat and rhythm add some fun and energy to the house and motivate us to get ready. There are mornings when the music is so uplifting that we happily dance all over the place while getting organized. It puts everyone in a good mood and helps everyone keep focused on their morning tasks.

4. Independant Playtime Before School

My kids love to have time to play in their rooms before going to school. On the one hand, playing independently in their bedrooms occupies them and gives me extra time for myself in the morning. On the other hand, if they’re in the middle of a game and it’s time to go, I am potentially setting them up for failure. All kids have difficulty with transitions and are naturally unwilling to stop a fun activity in order to get to school. I’ve discovered a few things that can help ease this transition:

• Letting him play only after they finish getting organized and eating breakfast. This rule motivates my kids to finish getting ready promptly so that they have more time to play. However, it’s important to be consistent so things go smoothly in the long run. If your kids start playing the moment they wake up, hold this boundary by reminding them that they can do that once they’ve finished getting ready for school, time permitting.
  
• Waking them up earlier so they have plenty of time to play.
  
• Preparing them in advance. Let them know before they go to bed at night how you expect your mornings to go and what their role is to ensure that. Remind them again when they wake up.
• Counting down. Count down the time left so your kids can learn to manage time. Also, advise them not to start lengthy and time consuming projects in the morning. I usually let them know when they have ten minutes left, then five minutes left, one minute left…you get the idea.
  
• No screen time in the morning. While playtime is ok in general, I’ve found that screens are much harder to get away from in the morning, which makes it harder on me.
  
• Before letting them play, put their shoes and jackets on, if weather permits. This way they are ready to get out of the house in an instant, once you’ve called them. It decreases the transition time.  

Have a Special Snack Ready For the Commute to School

This works as a motivator for my kids to get out of the house and transition from playing to going to school. It gives them something to look forward to on days when they don’t really want to leave the house. My children usually eat a bowl of cheerios after waking up and then get a cookie or a muffin to eat while we walk to school. It nourishes them, keeps them in a better mood, and gives them something to look forward to.

The post 5 Tips for Getting Your Kids Ready in the Morning appeared first on All The Frugal Ladies.

One way to travel cheaply is to take an RV. On top of saving on hotels and boarding, you can even save money on campground fees. For instance, once you learn how to connect a generator to a solar system then you rarely need to pay for a campsite. Connecting your RV to solar panels also gives you a lot of freedom to roam wherever you want to.

Traveling with an RV saves you more travel costs because it also allows you to:

1. Cook your own meals

An RV isn’t just like another hotel room. It should be regarded as a mini apartment on wheels, mainly because it has a kitchen in it, so you can cook your own meals there.

Eating out every day can often exceed what you would pay for a hotel room, especially if you have a couple of kids with you. Instead of doing this, eat out a couple of times but supplement all the rest of your meals with some home-cooked ones.

You should also have things ready to go for when you are on the road. It is tempting to just hit the drive-through or rest area restaurants when you are on the move. If you have some things ready to be heated up in the fridge then you can stop at a rest area, eat a quick meal, and then hit the road again and not waste time.

2. Try boondocking

The cost of staying at an RV campground can add up fast. It is nice to have modern conveniences provided by the camp like electricity, water, and septic, but it comes at a price.

Boondocking is the answer to this as there are lots of places where you can stay for free. The only problem is that you are on your own for things like electricity and water. Having a solar panel system provides you with unlimited and free electricity. Also, make sure your water tanks are full and your septic tank is empty, and only use septic safe toilet paper. This way you can find places where you can pull off the road and stay for a few days for free.

3. Plan your trip well

While it is always nice to be spontaneous and not be on a schedule, planning your trip will save you money. You can find the places to boondock to save some money as well as find some off-the-beaten-path sites that don’t have expensive campgrounds to stay.

Even the route you take can cost you more money if you don’t plan ahead. Look for roads that will help you avoid tolls and where there are gas stations that have the cheapest gas.

The post How To Save Money While Traveling In Your RV appeared first on All The Frugal Ladies.

I love my kids. But, the thought of being in a closed space for six hours with nobody but my two little kids, was extremely distressing. They are ages 5 and 3 and vibrant, sassy, and full of energy. To say that they don’t like to sit still is an understatement. So, naturally, I was worried.

In the days leading up to the trip, I researched ways that could help me make the best out of this situation. Once I was prepared, my attitude also changed and I even started to look forward to the trip. That went a long way in making things easier. Young children are very attuned to their parents’ mental state. If we are dysregulated, it makes it impossible for them to be calm. My confidence made them less apprehensive. And even though I didn’t feel 100 percent confident, I’ve learned to fake it so I can make it, and that was good enough.

Feeling confident, I put together a plan that I was certain would help make our road trip as pleasant as possible. Here are some of the things that helped.

1. Leave plenty of time to get to your destination

It was supposed to be a six-hour drive, but I made room in our schedule for a ten-hour drive. We left our house at 8 am and planned to get to our destination at 6 pm. This ensured plenty of time for stops, bathroom breaks, mealtimes, and any unplanned “emergencies”.

2. Taking lots of breaks for free play outside and restroom breaks

I know it’s tempting to just try to drive as much as possible to get to your destination as fast as you can. However, with kids, you have to take things s-l-o-w. I planned two big stops along the way at places of interest. Once we stopped at a playground with vendor booths for ice cream. Another time we stopped at a national reserve for a short hike. The secret was to not look at the ticking clock and to be present in the moment. By doing that, my kids didn’t feel anxious about going back in the car and were more cooperative after having fun outdoors. I also mapped out beforehand all the places that had restrooms along the way so I could be prepared in advance for a five-minute bathroom break.

3. Planning the trip around sleeping schedules

In retrospect, this was the best piece of advice I received. After lunch, my kids napped for a whole two hours, shortening the driving time significantly. I scheduled a big stop to hike and let out steam before having lunch so my kids would be tired. When we hit the road again after eating, the kids were fast asleep after about ten minutes. This cut two whole hours off my six-hour trip!

4. Screens

I know screentime is a controversial topic. But a six-hour (potentially 8-hour) car trip alone with two young kids is not a normal situation. The kids’ bickering could escalate in minutes and yelling and throwing things inside the car is dangerous for all. And sometimes, we all just need it to be quiet, so we can concentrate, all the more so in a situation like this. So, when things started heating up between the kids (thankfully this didn’t happen as often as I expected), I was prepared with some educational games, their favorite apps, and portable videos.

5. Car fun kit

I keep a car fun kit in my car with portable toys that are available to my kids only inside the car. I fill it with fun little surprises and toys like a Rubik’s cube, puzzles, water coloring books, comics, little action figures, kaleidoscopes, fidgets, and stickers. Having access to these toys only in the car makes them more attractive and my kids are happy to explore and play with them during car drives.   

6. Classic road trip games

There are classic road trip games such as ISpy, 20 questions, and ‘Name that Tune’. Apparently, my kids’ favorite game of all was one where they waved hello to random people driving in the cars parallel to ours. And if the people were friendly enough to wave back, the kids would be over the moon!

7. Snacks

Albeit planning stops along the way to eat lunch and supper, I also packed many snacks to eat in the car. This gave the kids something to do and helped calm them down. Normally, I don’t give out snacks in the car that could cause a mess but this time I just brought whatever I knew they liked without giving it a second thought. I packed fruit, veggies, sandwiches, energy bars, cheese sticks, potato chips, and cookies. Also, lots of water and fruit packets. We actually finished them all by the time we got to our destination! In addition to eating a big lunch and light dinner along the way. This proves that you can never have too many snacks when your with your kids.

8. Audiobooks

Depending on your kids’ focus and concentration skills, this can be a lifesaver. It really does a good job of calming them down, it’s educational, and it’s entertaining. We have CDs of all the classic stories and fairy tales and my kids and I love to listen to them during car rides. There are also plenty of narrated content for kids on youtube.

9. Comfort objects

Before heading out my kids and I filled the backseat with pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and other beloved objects that put my kids in a good mood. This made the car a bit more homey and pleasant for them.

It’s important to note that I didn’t use all these at once. The snacks, screens, car fun kits, and audiobooks were all brought out at strategic times during the way. Whenever the kids started bickering, or whenever I needed a bit of time for myself to just drive quietly without being bombarded by endless chattering, that’s when I pulled out something I had planned in advance and presented it to them. To my surprise, my kids spent a fair amount of time just looking out the window, daydreaming, or talking amongst themselves. They didn’t need every minute of the trip planned or to be constantly entertained. We did go through all the things I brought for them so there were definitely times when it was appropriate. But overall, our little road trip turned out to be a generally pleasant one.

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