by Michelle Jones

Today’s families are busier than ever and keeping up with monthly bills can be, no doubt, as challenging as it has been for decades. Many are opting for direct online bill paying which just about eliminates the risk of receiving a late fee. However, instead of late fees, they may increase the opportunity for insufficient fund charges. If there is not enough money in the bank account when it comes time for the bills to be paid automatically, wham! Making sure there is always enough money in the account to cover the automated bills is vital to avoiding bank fees, if you choose direct bill paying.

If you do not have a lot of cash flow and can not keep enough money in your account to pay your bills, AT ALL TIMES, it may be best to stick with the old fashioned way of making payments. Whether you write a check and send it in the mail or pay online (many utilities and creditors will allow you to make one time payments online), just be sure it is not LATE!

Which is what brings me to the original topic of my column this month, LATE FEES. Everyone hates them, everyone tries their best to avoid them—I certainly hope! If you are racking up late fees all throughout the year without a care in the world, you need to seriously rethink that plan. Not only are you throwing money down the drain every time you pay one of those fees, but you are also damaging your credit. You may not care about that right now, but one day you will. This is something you can keep under control and it is well worth the effort.

Yet even as much as we try sometimes things happen, to all of us. I can’t even remember the last time we’ve had a late fee, it’s been a good while. But then we were having so much fun this summer. We had just returned from a family reunion out of state and it was near the end of the summer. The kids were getting ready to go back to school. We were having fun every day, playing games on Facebook, eating pizza and ice cream… you get the general idea. My normal working, budgeting, bill paying schedule was basically on hold.

I knew there were bills to be paid, there was money in the bank to pay them. I just forgot to take care of them. Yeah, all four of them. The water bill, the electric bill, and two of our daughter’s college loans. OUCH! I was ill. I didn’t even bother calling to ask if the late fees could be waived because what was I going to tell them? “Sorry I didn’t pay you on time, I was too busy having fun with my kids?!”

So, that was a first for me. The first time I’ve ever paid a bill late for no reason at all, and I took full responsibility for it. I just felt that I had to. However, it will NEVER happen again. In fact, it is my vow that there will never be a late bill in this household ever again, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!!!

My budgeting system is awesome, it helps us make sure all our bills are paid on time. We have excellent credit and a great relationship with our bank. I know I should have called and at least tried to get the fees removed, after all, my motto is “It never hurts to ask!” But all I could think was “They are going to say… ‘You paid the bill late because of what?’ and “Oh my goodness, my readers won’t believe this happened to me!”

Maybe its just like my friend says about a lot of things lately, “That’s life.” But it honestly doesn’t have to be that way. We have gone a very LONG time without any late fees or fees for insufficient funds and it takes work. Keeping your bank accounts balanced each month is so important and making that date to pay your bills each week and go over your budget is the icing on the cake… it can change your life. You just have to stop whatever you’re doing and get it done!

original publication

Kwikset SmartScan can eliminate home-door keys from your key ring. This gadget scans the subdermal, which is more accurate than scanning your finger print. Upon a successful scan, the deadbolt slides open. The scanner gives you full and complete control over who can enter your home.  You can set access rules for specific people, including time of day that they can enter. No more getting a key made for some one to use temporarily.

The locks come with a master key, has a low-battery alarm, requires not wiring and can be configured for up to 50 fingerprints. Any device that takes a key off of my key chain makes my life easier.

http://www.kwikset.com/smartseries/SmartScan.aspx

Here’s a few tips to make your weekend getaway affordable, stress-less, and fun.

1. Plan your trip at least a month in advance, to allow for all your family to adjust schedules, schedule time off  (if needed), and gather the finances to go.

2. Choose a destination that has attractions that will likely interest your family. Destinations with a variety of activities and attractions make it easier to get the family excited about going.

3. Make your trip close enough that you can drive there in no more than 3 – 5 hrs. I say drive because, it removes the expense of airplane or train travel and it affords you time to spend with your family during the ride. There are plenty of great places you have never been within a five hour drive of your city… trust me!!

4. Take snacks for the ride, especially if you have small children. This will avoid spending a lot of money on food and snacks before you ever reach your destination.

5. Stretch your lodging budget. For weekend trips, there is no need for the top-of-the-line hotel. Don’t misunderstand me, you want to stay in a place that is clean, has decent service and has basic amenities, but don’t always get caught up with the name of the place because, many times, your paying for the name. Do some research. You can get rates, view the rooms and get customer reviews online.

6. Only plan one or two things for the family to do together and leave people with some free time to do nothing or pursue their own interests. Don’t try to schedule everyone’s weekend!

7. Invite extended family…. the more the merrier! Strengthen the bond with your extended family. This is also good if your kids have cousins their age. If you have younger kids, you may even have an on-trip sitter that can free you up for a couple hours to indulge in some adult activities at some point during the trip.

8. Relax. Don’t plan so many activities that you have little time to find a comfortable spot and relax. You don’t always want to return from a getaway, more tired than when you left!

All Edges Brownie Pan

* Two delicious, chewy edges on every individual serving
* Patented sidewalls circulate heat evenly throughout the pan
* Better performance (fewer undercooked middles and burned edges)
* Sized to fit box mixes and recipes for 9”x9” or 9”x13” pans
* Premium nonstick coating and round, easy-to-clean corners
* Durable heavy-gauge cast aluminum construction
* Recessed handles allow pan to be gripped when turned upside-down
* Custom spatula and recipes/instructions insert included
* Oven safe to 500 degrees
* Love this pan, hand wash only

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Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator

* Instantly aerates your red wine as you pour
* Opens up and mellows harsh young wines
* Improves bouquet, enhances flavor, and smoothes a wine’s finish
* 4 inches long, 2.5 inches in diameter
* Includes velvet carrying case and storage stand
* Note: – A small crease or fold above the air-vents on the side is a normal part of the manufacturing process

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Homemade Peanut Butter Factory
* Grind your own peanut butter, or other nut butters
o Peanuts
o cashews
o Sunflower seeds
o Macadamia
o Brazilian
o Pistachio
o Almonds
o And more!
* Control the texture from smooth to coarse, though “smooth” is more like store-bought “crunchy”
* 10 inches by 6.5 inches by 3 inches
* Weight: 2 lbs 2 oz (1 kg)
* 120v, 50 Watts

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Power Plant Herb Garden
* Desktop hydroponic herb garden
* Requires no dirt!
* Grow just about anything from seed. Best uses include:
o Italian Sweet Basil
o Cilantro
o Thyme
o Peppers
o Mini Tomatos
o Parsley
* Seed not included
* 8.7 x 7 x 2.8 inches; 1.3 pounds

-All the gadgets above can be found at Think Geek

Life can get really complicated, really fast! Some times we can get over-whelmed by our various responsibilities. Every now and then you just need a bit of encouragement to get over the hump. Here are a few reminders on how important it is to maintain your quality of life and guard it against all the things that living can bring.

“If you don’t set a baseline standard for what you’ll accept in life, you’ll find it’s easy to slip into behaviors and attitudes or a quality of life that’s far below what you deserve.” Anthony Robbins

“The quality of life is more important than life itself” Alexis Carrel

“It’s obvious that the key problem facing humanity in the coming century is how to bring a better quality of life — for 8 billion or more people — without wrecking the environment entirely in the attempt.”
Edward O. Wilson

“We have to shift our emphasis from economic efficiency and materialism towards a sustainable quality of life and to healing of our society, of our people and our ecological systems.” Janet Holmes

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Vince Lombardi

I always pondered the challenges of not being able to see and I always come away thanking God that I can see. This technology, if tested and proven could improve the quality of life for those with partial or full blindness.

A revolutionary laser treatment could save the sight of millions, British experts claim.

The process is said to stop the onset of age-related macular degeneration, one of the commonest forms of blindness, which leaves victims unable to read, drive or live independently.

It can be carried out in just ten to 15 minutes by any ophthalmologist. While it does not cure sight loss, its creators say it could prevent a generation from having to put up with declining vision in old age.

People with a family history of the disease could have pre-emptive treatment in their thirties.

The technique is said to be safe and painless and could save the NHS millions of pounds in treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It could even stop the disease getting worse in existing patients.

Medical charities welcomed the breakthrough but warned that it might not be available to the public for several years.

AMD is caused by damage to an area about 5mm across at the center of the retina called the macula, which is responsible for our central vision.

full article

Researchers have worked on answers to this question for years. This publication discusses six of the most important of these family strengths. It also provides activities that may help build or improve these strengths in your family.

As you read about each of these family strengths, decide where your family is already strong. Then identify one area where you want to be stronger. It is probably not a good idea to work on several areas at once, as the family might get overwhelmed. Work on developing one identified area at a time. In addition to using the exercise in this publication, you might invite family members to suggest ways to build in the area that you are working.
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Family Strength 1: Caring And Appreciation

Families are strengthened by expressions of caring and appreciation. Even when a family member makes many mistakes, members of strong families find ways to encourage and support each person. Strong families notice and share positive aspects of each other. For example, they pay attention to another person’s polite behavior or something nice he or she did or said. They notice the talents, skills, achievements, special qualities, and characteristics that make the other person unique. You might show appreciation by writing short love notes about one of these things, and put the note under the person’s pillow, or in a backpack, briefcase, or purse. Write something like “Emily, I’m proud of you for working so hard on your homework. Love, Dad.” Giving time is an important way of showing caring and appre ciation. Children want parents to be available – to have time, to show interest, to do things with them, and to talk with them.

A strong family finds that opportunities for quality time occur as they spend quantity time together. Eating meals together, sharing joys and defeats, working together, making treats together, and watching movies or playing games are examples of shared activities. Some families even schedule one evening every week for special family activities.

Physical expressions are good ways of showing affection, love, and appreciation. Small children often like to snuggle with their parents. A quick pat, a hug, a kiss, a handclasp, or an arm around the shoulder can say a lot to people of all ages.

Consider making gift certificates for each other. Be sure to follow through and do what the certificate promises. Good manners and everyday courtesy to a child or a spouse lets the person know that he or she matters. Ask children and other family members to do things rather than demand that they do them. Compliment good behavior. Thank family members for their efforts. Ask for opinions. Listen to comments. Avoid saying anything that is critical or unkind.

Family Strength 2: Commitment

Members of strong families are committed to the family. They value the things that make their family special. Even when times are hard, they work on problems together.

One way to build family commitment is to practice family traditions. A family tradition is any activity or event that occurs regularly and holds special meaning for that family. The tradition may be as simple as stories and prayers before bedtime, Saturday morning pancakes, or as elaborate as an annual big vacation. Because these traditions have meanings that are special to the family, they create feelings of warmth, closeness, and specialness. Traditions can build a feeling of stability and safety for family members.

One way to build family loyalty and commitment is to compile a family history. Ask older relatives to talk about their lives. Their stories contain a glimpse of their personalities and strengths. Learn about your family’s heritage. Discover what country your ancestors came from, when they lived, how they lived, and what they did for a living. Find books, magazines, tapes, films, or pictures that relate to the countries your ancestors lived in and the things people did in those countries.

Family Strength 3: Communication

Strong families communicate. They talk. They share themselves. They share their feelings, hopes, dreams, fears, joys, sorrows, experiences, growth, and needs. They take the time to listen and respond to what others have to say. There are a number of things that can improve family communication.

Make time to talk. It is especially important to talk about feelings. You may decide to turn off the TV so the family can talk. Talk about feelings and experiences while driving in the car, while sharing household chores, or before bedtime. You can encourage family members to share by saying, “Tell me more.” “Wow. That must have been exciting (frightening, etc.).” “What was the best part of the day for you?”

You might try playing a talking game. Write down on small pieces of paper questions about topics important to your family. Questions might range from “What age would you like to be and why?” and “What animal would you like to be?” to more serious questions like “Do you think it is ever all right to tell a lie?”

Make the questions appropriate for the ages of the family members. Place the questions in a box and have each person draw out a sheet of paper and respond to the question. This game can be played at dinnertime or during special times set aside for talking.

When your family has a problem, make suggestions that are kind and helpful. Try to suggest actions that you or others could take to improve the situation or solve the problem. If you criticize another person’s actions without helping that person come up with an alternative, he or she may feel frustrated and helpless.

Be a good listener. Listening to what others say and feel is one of the most powerful ways of showing love. To be good listeners we often must set aside our lectures and really try to understand from the point of view of the other person. The goal is simply to hear, understand, and accept the other person’s feelings and views.

The other person may feel understood if you say to him or her, “It sounds like you feel [describe what you think the person feels]. Is that right?” The other person can then say if he or she was correctly understood. Real acceptance and understanding take patience and active listening. Other ideas on effective listening are available in Extension Circular HE-682 in this series, “Being Understanding: A Key To Developing Healthy Children.”

Family Strength 4: Community And Family Ties

Strong families draw on other people and institutions for support. If they have a hard time dealing with a problem, they are willing to seek outside help. Strong families also tend to be closely involved with the schools, churches, and local organizations that promote the well-being of the community and the individual

Ties with relatives, neighbors, and friends are especially important. Busy schedules can make it hard to spend time with people outside the family. But relationships can sometimes be kept up by having family members write brief notes. Or the family can make it a special point to visit with certain people.

Helping people in need – in our own extended families, in our neighborhoods, and in our communities – can be very rewarding. A family might choose an elderly person or couple who need help with raking leaves, caring for a lawn or garden, or cleaning or repairing a house. They might read to someone. Or the family might just visit.

Parents can teach their children to become involved citizens. Look for a local, state, or national issue in newspapers, magazines, television newscasts, or radio news. Find out which public officials would be interested in the issue. Write a letter to a city commissioner, school board member, legislator, or even the President! Let each family member, even younger ones, compose his or her own original letter. Save the replies to the letters in a scrapbook.

Family Strength 5: Working Together

Strong families make decisions, solve family problems, and do family work together. Everyone participates. Parents are the leaders, but the children’s opinions and efforts are invited, encouraged, and appreciated. For example, a toddler can be involved with you in grocery shopping. Explain that you need a helper when you shop for groceries. Decide which simple food items the helper can choose, such as cereal or fruit snacks. When you get to the right aisle, give the child a few moments to make a decision. An older child can be taught to use the information on product labels to make decisions. Provide plenty of encouragement for their efforts.

Making real decisions is good practice and can help children grow up to be responsible adults. Children need opportunities to make decisions, to participate in family decisions, and to observe the parents’ decision-making process and results.

Children are more apt to carry out their responsibilities if they have some choice as to what those responsibilities are and can see how these particular tasks help the family. Teenagers are more willing to go along on a family vacation if they help decide where to go and what to do. Youngsters are more likely to accept limitations regarding purchases if they have an awareness of the family’s financial situation.

Letting children take part in decision-making says to them “You are important, and what you have to say counts.” Many families have found that a family council improves communication and decision-making. The family council is a meeting that gives every member of the family the opportunity to express opinions and ideas, offer compliments or complaints, and most importantly, be listened to.

Family Strength 6: Flexibility And Openness To Change

All families develop habits, routines, and a set of rules. These patterns are ways to deal with day-to-day life. Some of the more obvious patterns are who cooks, washes dishes, does the laundry, or fixes the car. Other less obvious patterns include: Who has the right to make what decisions? How are differences of opinion handled? How are anger, affection, or other emotions expressed?

Many families find it helpful to have a chart of household tasks and to rotate the assignments. Parents can set the example of flexibility by offering to help out a child who has an unusually heavy load of homework or other activities.

The development of a stable family pattern is necessary to deal with all the things a family must face, decide, and accomplish in daily life. But a family must also be able to adapt to new needs and circumstances.

There are a number of common changes most families face. Children get older. Adults switch jobs or retire. Families are reshaped by birth, adoption, marriage, divorce, sickness, and death. Families move to different communities. Family relationships are most likely to remain healthy and strong if family members adapt to these changes.

Summary

Spend some time together identifying your family’s strengths. Then celebrate them. From that foundation of existing strengths, choose additional strengths that you can add to your family. Become involved in activities that will help your family build those strengths.

written by H. Wallace Goddard, Extension Family and Child Development Specialist, Department of Family and Child Development, Auburn University.

If you are not getting enough water, your body will react by pulling it from other places, including your blood. This causes the closing of some smaller vessels (capillaries), making your blood thicker, more susceptible to clotting, and harder to pump through your system. This can have serious implications in hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Recent studies have also linked the lack of water to headaches, arthritis, and heartburn.

Have you have ever gotten up in the morning feeling bloated, or tried on a ring or shoe that fit yesterday but is too tight to wear today? Chances are your body is trying to tell you something. If you have a problem with water retention, excess salt may be the cause. Your body will tolerate a certain amount of sodium, however, the more salt you consume, the more fluid you need to dilute it. To overcome this problem, always drink plenty of water.

What if I told you that being dehydrated promotes the increase of body fat? Water contributes to energy storage along with glycogen. Without water, extra amounts of glucose remain in the bloodstream until reaching the liver, the extra glucose is stored as fat. Your body takes water from inside cells in an effort to compensate for a dehydrated state, including fat cells. Less water in your fat cells means less mobilization of fat for energy.

One of the liver’s primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into energy. The kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins, wastes, ingested water, and salts out of the bloodstream. If you are dehydrated, the kidneys cannot function properly, and the liver must work overtime to compensate. As a result, it metabolizes less fat. So remember, if you are trying to decrease the amount of fat on your body, drink plenty of water.

Water: The Body’s Most Important Nutrient

EPA Dept. of Water

Professional financial advisors and money managers will tell you that while risky, investing in bonds, futures, mutual funds, and the stock market can reap amazing rewards. The only trick is having enough money to create lucrative returns on your investments. If you’re not a high-roller with lots of distributable cash, betting on the market might not be an ideal approach.

So how can an average man with an average salary begin to acquire and keep more money? The following list offers 5 tips that can help fatten your wallet:

# Invest In Your Talents
Before you think “I have no talents.”, take inventory of your aspirations, goals, and hobbies. Everyone has something they love doing. Whether it’s reading books, making music, or volunteering to tutor kids at a local school — there are monetary benefits tied to your abilities.

Many businesses are willing to pay for services and talents that you may find second nature. If you’re a great motivational speaker, a graphic artist, or have superb mathematical skills — the possibilities are endless. Consider promoting those talents to an organization that’s willing to pay for them, or start your own organization and sell your strengths to others.

# Live Beneath Your Means
One of easiest ways to secure your place in financial bondage, is to spend extravagantly. If your yearly salary is $30,000, you probably shouldn’t purchase that shiny new 2008 BMW 335i Coupe, no matter how good your credit may be. Keeping what you have is one of the best ways to grow your wealth. If you have monthly bills, continue to pay them on time, until they are completely paid off. Any extra money should be applied to food, fuel, and health expenses until you have saved at least 6 months worth of your current salary.

You don’t have to pinch pennies, but being less needy and greedy can keep a lot of cash in your pocketbook. A man earning $35,000/year with virtually no debt, is a lot better off financially than a man who earns $75,000/year, but owes $120,000 in credit card and other debt.

# Stop Dreaming
Unless you are truly investing in one of your raw talents, becoming the next international Olympic star sprinter at age 38 isn’t likely to happen. Instead, you should focus on genuine goals that can be supported by your experiences, your skill set, and your current bank account. If you don’t have the money or background to chase a pie-in-the-sky dream, shrink it down to more manageable ambitions.

Working towards your life goals is a good thing, but throwing money after an impractical project will only fuel future financial problems. If you wish to make a business out of your hobby, consider applying for a small business loan. Though this creates more debt, your new business venture can potentially reverse your fortunes, turn a profit, and recoup those short-term expenditures.

# Spend Wisely
Once your wallet begins to fill with monetary abundance, spending it can be fun. But keep in mind that it takes money to make money. You must have some, in order to generate more. Once it’s gone, it may require an even higher level of energy and sacrifice to get it back. Overspending on material possessions like fashion, electronics, automobiles, jewelry, and luxury travel won’t give you the financial leverage you need to generate extra wealth from your current capital.

If you must spend large sums of money, consider long-term investments such as houses, mutual funds, securities, or viable business ventures — all of which have the potential to reap high rewards down the road.

# Diversify Yourself
When you look at successful businessmen and businesswomen, you’ll notice one important commonality — they are all diversified. They have managed to venture into more than just one business environment and this helps expand the number of revenue producing sources.

Source

Be careful with the medicines you choose! I think the medical world has made great advances and has created medicines that have transformed and saved lives … bottom-line people need medicine, but approach with caution. I fear that we have become too dependent on medicine. Our bodies are amazingly resilient. Often, just my opinion, we are too quick, to the medicine cabinet. Is it just me… you take medicine for runny nose, it stops the runny nose, but it makes the rest of you feel terrible.