Credit repair agencies claim that they can remove bad entries from your credit report. But did you know that you can often have them removed yourself at a much lower cost? There are two methods by which you may be able to get negative entries removed from your report.

Option #1: File a Dispute with the Credit Bureaus

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires credit bureaus to investigate any item on your credit report that you dispute. If the information is found to be false, inaccurate or unverifiable, it must be corrected or removed from your report. The bureaus have 30 days from the time they receive notice of the dispute to complete their investigation.

If there is any inaccurate information on your credit report, a dispute is certainly in order. But some people have had luck disputing items that were in fact accurate, including judgments, collections accounts and repossessions. If such items are not verified by the creditor (or the court in the case of judgments) within the time limit for investigation, they must be removed.

If you decide to dispute a legitimate entry, simply write a letter to each of the credit bureaus stating that you dispute that entry. No explanation is required. But keep in mind that if the entry is verified, it will remain on your report. And if the creditor verifies the information after the 30-day time limit, the credit bureau may reinstate the entry as long as they notify you at least 5 days before doing so.

Option #2: Negotiate with Creditors

Dealing with creditors can be intimidating, especially if you’re not on good terms with them. But speaking to your creditors directly may help you get negative information removed from your credit report.

If you only have a late payment or two on your account, a creditor might be willing to remove the derogatory information once you’ve resumed a regular payment schedule. If you’ve experienced repossession or had an account turned over to collections, payment in full might persuade them to remove the negative entry. It sounds like a long shot, but you never know until you ask. Requests to remove late payment information may be made after you’ve brought you account current. But if you’re hoping for removal of a repossession or collection action, it’s best to negotiate a deal before you pay anything.

If You Can’t Get the Bad Entries Removed

There is no guarantee that disputing information on your credit report or negotiating with creditors will get negative items removed from your record. If it doesn’t, the best thing you can do is try to build up some positive information on your report.

The first thing you need to do when trying to rebuild good credit is bring past due accounts current. Try to work out a deal with your creditors to accomplish this, or talk to a credit counseling agency. But don’t miss payments on current accounts to put money toward those that are past due. If it comes down to paying one or the other, keep the current account current.

Once you’ve brought all of your accounts current, put a priority on keeping them that way. Making your payments on schedule will raise your credit score, and with the passage of time, the good entries may outweigh the bad.

Additional Resource:

37 Days To Clean Credit — An Effective Credit Repair System That Instantly Deletes Inquiries, Charge-Offs, Late Payments And Judgments From Credit Reports

Child and parenting expert, TODAY Show contributor and the author of “The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries,” Dr. Michele Borba understands the challenges busy modern moms face.

“Moms today have it tough,” says Borba. “Long lines, endless errands, sitting at a doctor’s office or waiting for a sibling’s practice to end are difficult on both kids and moms. Your best defense to turn off tantrums or prevent messy situations is to think ahead and always be prepared.”

Borba offers four quick and easy “sanity savers” to help keep both mom and child happy while out and about.

Car games
While in the car, kids should occupy themselves with things that don’t make a mess or spill. Hanging a shoe organizer on the back of a seat creates a great place to keep all their favorite games and toys organized and within reach.

“One of my favorite things to recommend for moms is to keep cookie sheets in the car stored under a seat,” says Borba. “Cookie sheets instantly turn into eating trays or lap desks with endless opportunities for small children to play with magnets or reusable stickers and older ones to color or do homework on after school.”

Smart snacking
Hungry kids are not happy kids, so it’s important to bring munchies to keep their spirits up. For healthy snacks that will stay fresh for hours, Borba recommends using insulated food and beverage containers, like the Thermos Foogo vacuum-insulated stainless steel containers, and encourages parents to plan ahead for cleanup as well.

“Carrying a pack of wet wipes in your purse or diaper bag is a must,” says Borba. “To save money, you can wet paper towels, add a small amount of bleach and keep them in a plastic baggy.”

The two-for-one
To lighten your load and get the most use out of any item, try to find a second purpose for it. Your hair clips tied to a napkin can create a restaurant bib for baby in a pinch, and your soft cooler can become a storage compartment for kids’ toys and belongings.

“Moms don’t have to carry the entire nursery with them every time they leave the house,” says Borba. “Think about practicality and range of use for any item you take with you on the go.”

Hydration salvation
Keeping a sippy cup or beverage bottle filled with water, milk or juice is a must while on the go, but can easily fill up an already-bursting bag. Look for options that are convenient and multi-purpose.

New BPA-free Thermos Foogo Phases drinkware, which features both vacuum-insulated stainless steel and Tritan plastic cups, offers three flexible drinking options that can be customized based on your child’s needs. With a soft sippy lid for new drinkers, a hard sippy top for teething little ones, and a fun pop-up straw top, the line makes it easy for mom to quickly swap the interchangeable lids at a moment’s notice.

“This drinkware is a great solution for moms because it literally grows with your child,” says Borba. “The interchangeable lids make the products a great value since you can just upgrade the lid options as your child develops – no need to buy a whole new cup.”

By taking these easy tips into consideration, busy moms can be stress-free, economical and prepared for any situation. For more information, please visit www.Thermos.com.

Stop by Real Life Guidance for instant downloadable help.

Make a plan and write it down. Make it a habit to write a daily list of things to do and things you need. Life gets so busy sometimes especially if you have kids. It is going to be helpful to have those lists handy. You can easily save an extra trip to the store if you have a list of things to buy. You can also figure out how you can run all your errands so that you do not have to drive back and forth. Try to shop in the evenings when stores are less busy. There is no need to waste an hour standing in line when you can do something more productive with that time. Don’t care to stand in line? Try shopping online.

Plan your meals. You can use a blank monthly or weekly calendar to list down your meals for the upcoming week. Once you have the meals figured out, it will be easier to come up with a shopping list based on the meals. Keep your planned meals posted on the refrigerator door so you know what needs to be prepared. Even if it is tempting to sway off the planned meals, do your best to stick to it - you can save lots of money this way and keep with in your budget.

Shop in bulk. If space for groceries is not an issue, plan to shop in bulk. This will allow you to save time because you do not have to keep on going to the grocery store. You also save money because buying in bulk costs less in the long run.

Figure out your best bill payment option. If you have the means, set up bill payment electronically. Writing checks may seem like a simple thing but you can save time writing checks for bills when you pay electronically. If you can’t pay bills electronically, set up a workstation complete with all the supplies you need when paying bills like: your checkbook, envelopes, stamps, pens, and a calendar. If your workstation is stocked and organized, then you won’t waste time searching for supplies you need.

Do a little housework when you can and don’t let work pile up. If you do a bit of housework each day, then you do not have to spend an entire weekend cleaning or catching up on housework. Laundry is one thing that easily piles up. Do a load or two each day and when you can, put the clean clothes away as soon as possible. Picking up around the house and making sure things have their own place will lessen the stress when it’s time to clean up. Do these and you are able to enjoy more family time.

Stay organized. Spend some time organizing your house. This will take time but will be well worth it. Give everything it’s own place and make sure that it makes sense. For example, have hooks near your front door for keys, umbrellas and hats. This way you can hang them as soon as you come in. Hold a family meeting to let everyone know where things belong.

Applying the tips mentioned above will definitely help moms save time and enjoy their family a little bit more.

Being a mom is extremely rewarding, but it’s challenging. Get the help you need at Real Life Guidance. It’s your place for instant downloadable help for moms, day or night.

Their lack of motivation can cause problems for them in school and beyond. While your child may still see homework as an unpleasant chore, there are some things you can do to help make this experience a more acceptable one for them. Here’s some ways you can help them make the most of their homework time:

Give them space- Dedicate an area in your home for homework purposes. It should be a spot that is as quiet as possible without the distractions of television, radio, etc. Your child needs to be able to focus on the task at hand, so eliminating as many distractions as possible will be necessary.

Support “their time”- If you have other children or adults in the home while homework time is going on, make sure that everyone else knows and understands that the child needs quiet and should have no interruptions. Keep others away from the space you’ve provided for their homework purposes. Your child needs to know that you will support their need to focus on their work.

Remain nearby- Even though they need quiet time with no distractions, you will still need to be nearby in case they run into some problems and need some help. Don’t let them wander through the house looking for you when they want help as there can be too many distractions along the way. Let them know periodically that you, or someone else, is nearby if they have any questions.

Stick to a schedule- Homework time should be at the same time every day that they have it. Of course, life happens and this doesn’t always work out the way you want it to, but try to keep homework time at about the same time each day. Eventually, it will become routine to them and you won’t have to constantly remind them to do it.

Stock up on supplies- If possible; keep extra supplies like pens, pencils, notebooks etc. within their homework space. This will help eliminate some of the many excuses you will receive, in the beginning, about why they can’t complete their homework.

Know what their homework is- This will be a hard one for some parents as some children won’t be as willing to offer up that information to them. Try as much as you can to find out what it is and ask to see their work when their done, to ensure each assignment is completed.

Make your homework assistance a positive one- This is important. Each time they ask you or someone else for help, it needs to always be a positive experience. Never let the child feel as if they’re dumb because they came up with the wrong answer. Use encouraging words and phrases, such as, “You almost have it”, or “That was so close!” Negative responses will probably turn them off from asking anyone for help in the future; including from a teacher, so don’t let that happen.

Homework is always seen as drudgery to most children. If you keep these tips in mind and use as many as possible for your child, homework could become a more do-able thing for them to include within their day.

Being a mom is extremely rewarding, but it’s challenging. Get the help you need at Real Life Guidance. It’s your place for instant downloadable help for moms, day or night.

For example: Perhaps you’ve been assigned a special project at work. You’re confident in taking it on, but upon completion you notice one tiny error. You begin to berate the way in which you handled the project, even though the error was not significant. While your boss is telling you what a great job you’ve done, you begin to make excuses for it. Your negativity has minimized the entire project, and magnified one area of it.

What steps can you take to avoid this pattern? Take a step back and look at the project objectively. Not only did you complete it in an efficient manner, but it will become the template for future projects. Forget about the mistake; think about what you’ve achieved.

The holidays are approaching and you need to begin the house-cleaning project. You look around and decide it’s just too much; you can’t do it; why bother. Stop! Take a deep breath and consider dividing up the tasks. Enlist the aid of your family to help by assigning each one a specific job. Once you begin the process of prioritizing, you will feel better and it will be accomplished.

You’ve started a diet before the holidays. One day, you have a yearning for a particular dessert. You quickly decide your diet is over, and it wasn’t worth the effort. You walk over to the mirror and utter to yourself, “I’m fat, and there’s nothing I can do about it.” Wrong! Setting yourself up for failure by thinking negatively about the way you look does not solve the immediate problem. Instead, admit to cheating; promise you’ll try harder, and allow positive thoughts to guide you through it.

Probably the most intensely negative thought processes are experienced by teenagers. Perhaps their life isn’t going the way they thought it would; or they are unhappy with school; or peer pressure has made them act in a way that cultivates anger. “I don’t want to live anymore,” one might say. While they may not mean what they say; it is still a sign which requires immediate intervention. The thought can become a seed which could germinate into the act itself.

Either through family, friends, counselors or skilled professionals – negative thought can quickly be turned around into positive reinforcement. It is up to each and every one of us to ensure that any hint of negativity is purged from our thought process; and to avoid imprinting unwelcome thoughts onto our family or friends.

Aurelia Williams, certified Personal Life Coach and owner of Real Life Coaching, invites you to take advantage of a free consultation today. Isn’t it time to break free from negative thoughts?

Being able to find home decorating ideas is a treat but having access to free home decorating ideas is a real gift.  Good news, there are free home decorating ideas available to you.  Often when you pick up a magazine, perhaps while waiting at the doctor’s office, something in the home decorating section catches your eye.  Relaying tips and techniques for home improvements, this magazine is offering you free home decorating ideas. Another great source of information regarding home décor and decorating is a catalog from major stores such as Sears, Zellers or Ikea.  Advertising their products, they use illustrations of fully decorated rooms.  Browsing catalogs such as these you’ll find many free home decorating ideas.

Taking a trip to your local furniture store or department store is sure to provide free home decorating ideas.  Many stores have displays which are regularly changes to share new and trendy home décor.  The front window of a furniture store is a great place to catch a glimpse of beautifully arranged home décor.  Again, window displays such as this can be considered free home decorating ideas.

One of the best sources of free home decorating ideas is the Internet.  There are hundreds of sites on the Internet related to home decorating with thousands of free home decorating ideas.  There are sites which explain in depth the various home decorating designs and offer ideas to help you achieve these styles in your own home.  Some sites offer step-by-step instructions for do-it-yourself home decorating and renovating projects. These free home decorating ideas are your chance to create rooms and spaces similar to those decorated by professional interior decorators.  With the aid of these free home decorating ideas, you’ll be equipped to transform your home into something you only dream of.  You may be very surprised at what you can actually accomplish as an inexperienced interior decorator.

Decorating a home or space is a very exciting activity.  It does require a whole lot of effort regarding planning and the actual decorating, but the results are definitely worth it.  Being able to sit back after living through weeks or renovations and home decorating is a delight.  Being able to look around your home at the beautiful changes and realize you are responsible, that feeling is overwhelming.  To know that you were able to achieve these results by using free home decorating ideas may be astonishing.  You may feel so great about your accomplishment that you’ll be eager to take on another room.  When you are ready to begin another home decorating or renovating project, you’ll be able to plan it with added confidence realizing there are thousands of free home decorating ideas to help you out.

Have you ever stopped to think what you would do if you had 2 hours free to spend any way you want, every week?  I did, and was surprised
how hard it was for me to come up with ideas.  I  guess it’s been THAT long since I had time all for myself.

Well, I want YOU to start making plans for two free hours.  No, I’m not coming over to clean your house, LOL!  But I am giving you a free meal
plan and grocery list good for one week of dinners and side dishes, plus 2 brunch recipes and 2 desserts. 

It’s a sample from Dine WithoutWhine.

So for the next week, you won’t have to make your own meal plan and food shopping list.  Not only do you get to use this time to do something else, but by meal planning and shopping with a list, you will:

- save big bucks (the average family saves $60 a week by eating at home!)

- help your family eat healthier

- enjoy relaxed family dinners, which make for healthier, smarter and more relaxed family members

- save time and money when food shopping

Go ahead and grab your one-week meal plan and grocery list here
…there’s no charge or any obligation of any kind.

Enjoy your sample meal plan - and those two extra hours!

PS: This is a no-obligation sample from Dine Without Whine.  You don’t have to give your name or Email address to get it, and you don’t have
to try the paid service - if you don’t want to.

It’s still possible to have pleasant family mealtimes even after school has begun. Check out these back-to-school dinner tips for busy Moms:

1. Have a meal plan.

The most important key to having relaxed family dinners even on school nights is having a meal plan. This will simplify both food shopping and meal preparation, and help you save money to boot.

If you need help, check out Dine Without Whine’s meal and grocery planning service.

2. Try freezer meals.

Cut down on cooking time by cooking large batches and then freezing them for future use.

3. Simplify your schedule.

With school comes extracurricular activities that could have you running - or driving around - like a headless chicken. Keep things to a minimum. Overloading children with too many after-school activities is not good for them. They need downtime too.

4. Get the kids involved in cooking.

Get some help by mobilizing your own troops - your husband and children - as your kitchen helpers. Cooking is an important life skill and now it’s bonding time as well.

5. Have an emergency plan.

No matter how well you plan in advance, something always comes up. Plan for that as well. Always have emergency supplies in the pantry so you can throw together a home-cooked meal at a moment’s notice.

It could be a frozen dinner you prepared during the weekend. Mine is pasta, a can of tomato sauce and whatever vegetables are in the refrigerator.

6. Post your family schedule.

Keep a large calendar on the wall where you can see every family member’s schedule at a glance. It will also help you plan activities around your family dinner times.

7. Set a routine.

Decide on an earlier dinner time, bedtime and wake up time and start following them a few days before school officially begins. This way, everybody’s adjusted when the real thing comes.

8. Stay flexible.

Sometimes you just can’t afford disruptions to your meal times. An occasional missed family dinner is no big deal - when you know you’ll have more throughout the week.

9. Consider school schedules.

Take note of school events and other activities in your family calendar - so you can plan your family dinners with them in mind.

10. Cook once, eat twice.

Every so often, cook a double batch of meals that can easily be transformed into another entree or side dish. For example, roast 2 chickens. Have one for tonight’s dinner. Chop up the other for chicken salad for later in the week.

11. Organize your kitchen.

If you haven’t done so yet, now’s the time to take stock of your kitchen. Make sure the items you use most often are accessible from your food prep area. Replace the tools that are broken, and get those gadgets that will help you get dinner ready faster.

12. Have a special meal.

Make Friday night Teen’s night - which means they plan and prepare the meal. That is, if you have teens or any child old enough to prepare meals. They’ll learn how to cook, you get the night off (from cooking), and everybody has fun. The only condition is: everybody has to eat what’s prepared.

13. Make it educational.

This idea is for preschool-age kids. Make or buy a special placemat with letter or numbers. Laminate it with Con-Tact paper so it becomes a wipe-off board. Use it only for dinnertimes.

14. More mealtime learning opportunities.

Plan some meals to coincide with specific topics your child is studying in school. For example, on the night after a field trip to a pioneer town, have a pioneer-style meal.

15. Celebrate school successes at dinner.

Celebrate school successes with a special family meal. Prepare the child’s favorite meal and prepare a nice dessert. It’s more important to have a meal that’s relaxed and delicious, than one that tool hours to prepare.

16. Nurture school relationships.

Get to know your children’s closest school friends by inviting them to dinner once in a while.

Follow these tips to make family mealtimes simpler, easier and more fun. For meal planning and grocery shopping help, go to Dine Without Whine.

Your monthly subscription includes a weekly meal plan with recipes for main dishes, side dishes, 2 desserts and 2 brunches.

You’ll also get a weekly grocery shopping list of everything you need to create the recipes. The list is categorized according to grocery sections, so your shopping will be easier and faster.

For a limited time, you can try Dine Without Whine for a penny. Click here to find out how.

The flu seems to be top-of-mind right now for almost everyone, especially moms. And while many moms are taking extra measures this year to protect kids from both seasonal flu and H1N1, they may neglect getting their own flu shot. With kids, husbands, schools, friends, communities and employers depending on moms for so much, it’s more important than ever for moms to get vaccinated against seasonal flu this year.

As many as one in five Americans ends up suffering from the flu each year and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu-related complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most cases result in a few days in bed, which is far from rest and relaxation for the do-it-all mom. When the flu bug bites mom, it can seriously impact the family, as she may not be able to care for the home and kids as she normally does.

“Moms today are busier than ever and the No. 1 thing they’re looking for is convenience,” says Dr. Lucy Crane, Walgreens corporate medical director. “A seasonal flu shot is the best protection against getting the virus and now it’s quick and easy to stop by a neighborhood pharmacy like Walgreens to get one. We know the critical role moms play every day and when mom is down and out, the whole family usually suffers.”

As the holiday season approaches, moms are reminded of the many reasons they should make time for themselves to receive a flu shot – to protect themselves and the ones they love:

* Holiday celebrations – From Halloween to New Year’s Eve, there are endless feasts and festivals with family and friends. To keep the good times rolling, roll up your sleeve for a flu shot, get plenty of rest to help keep your immune system strong and keep anti-bacterial wipes handy in kitchens and bathrooms for yourselves and guests.

* Travel – Traveling is a notorious way to swap germs with strangers. Seasonal flu vaccinations and good habits, like frequent and thorough hand-washing or use of hand sanitizers, drinking plenty of water and coughing or sneezing into tissues (and then throwing them away) are the best defenses against bringing an unwanted passenger on your trip.

* Job and career – Sick kids or sick moms can result in use of sick days (if you have them) or lost wages. For working moms, it’s important to stay healthy and bring home the bacon, and not the flu, too. Urge co-workers to get seasonal flu shots to reduce overall risk of picking up more than a paycheck at work.

Getting a seasonal flu shot is a lot easier than it used to be, with pharmacies, clinics and even airports among those now offering this important service.

Walgreens has taken a leadership role in flu prevention, assembling a network of 16,000 certified immunizers, made up of pharmacists, physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners. Seasonal flu shots are $24.99 and may be covered by insurance plans as well as Medicare Part B. For the latest information on seasonal flu and to find a local store offering seasonal flu shots, visit www.Walgreens.com/flu.

No matter how busy you are, your family and friends will thank you for arming yourself against the seasonal flu this year.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

For more tips on getting and staying healthy all year long, stop by Healthy Living.

1. Trick-or-Treat bucket

Supplies: ice cream bucket, construction paper, markers, crayons, glue, glitter (any craft supplies)
Directions: Use construction paper to draw ghosts, pumpkins, scarecrows, etc. Cut out your decorations and glue them to the outside of an ice cream bucket.

2. Trick-or-Treat goody bags

Supplies: small brown paper bags, Halloween stickers, markers, treats (candy, pencils, erasers, bubblegum, etc.)

Directions: Decorate paper bags in Halloween themes using your art supplies. Put treats inside bags. Fold the top of the bag down and tape shut with a Halloween sticker.

3. Tiny pumpkins

Supplies: acorns, orange paint, and green paint

Directions: Lay acorns on a sheet of newspaper. Paint the bottom of the acorns with orange paint. After the orange paint dries, paint the top of the acorns green (for the stem of the pumpkin). Allow to dry thoroughly.

4. Spooky Spiders

Supplies: black construction paper, cotton balls or cotton stuffing, black pipe cleaners, small bowl or saucer, and a stapler

Directions: Using black construction paper, trace around a small bowl or saucer. (Cut out two circles per spider.) Place stuffing or cotton balls on first circle. Lay second circle on top of cotton stuffing and staple half-way around. Insert 3-4” pipe cleaners on each side, then staple the second half of the circles together. Bend pipe cleaners to make the “legs” of the spider.

Would you like to quickly make creative Kids Halloween Costumes that you and your children will be proud of — for a fraction of the price of store-bought? Susanne Myers has co-authored a book to show you how — no sewing involved. Visit www.ILoveHalloweenCostumes.com to learn more.