A Smart Financial Move

In these very interesting financial times, where many are experiencing financial turmoil, savvy families are continually searching for ways to increase savings as well as researching the best money-smart moves to make.

One often overlooked and misunderstood area of personal finance is the possibility of refinancing your leased car. Many people do not know this car refinance option is even available.

The average person leasing a car does so because the payments are lower, and it is easier to turn a car in every few years for a new vehicle, rather than worry about repairs for an older model. Still, there may come a time in your business and personal life when buying instead of leasing might be a better option.

Buying your leased vehicle is extremely viable if:

  • You want to keep your present vehicle
  • You can lower your monthly payments.

Before you make a car refinance decision, investigate your current lease for pros and cons. You will want to know the buyout amount and whether there are penalties for refinancing. You will also need to review your lease contract thoroughly so that you understand any and all particulars. If you have questions, make sure to contact your leasing agent to verify all information. Once you are secure with your decision, the next move is to find the proper lender for your situation and get a quote.

Refinancing one’s leased car may not be a choice for everyone but when implemented after knowledgeable research, it can be one smart financial move.

Why?

Well, besides saving money, healthier finances definitely add up to stronger family stability, which makes everyone happier.

Filed Under: Family Life, Parenting Tagged With: , ,

Tips for Caring for a Newborn Baby

Caring for a newborn baby is not as easy as some may thing, especially for first-time parents. With a little preparation, a lot of patience, and an open mind, caring for a newborn baby will not be too stressful. Be prepared to be very tired for the first year of your baby’s life.

One of the biggest concerns for parents of newborn babies is that they are not eating enough. Especially moms that are breastfeeding that can not measure their milk intake like bottle feedings moms can. If you are breastfeeding, the baby should be eating every two to three hours, or between eight and twelve times a day. Let the baby eat until she is done. Formula fed babies will drink about two to three ounces of formula, every three to four hours. If your little one has at lease six wet diapers and 3 stools a day, things are going great and the baby is eating enough.

The next biggest concern for parents, especially those that are feeling the exhaustion of new parenthood, are concerned about sleep. Newborn babies sleep a lot, about 16 hours a day. Usually, babies will sleep for one long period of three to five hours, and then have a bunch of short periods of sleep mixed in with short periods of being awake. The older the baby gets, the longer the wake periods will be. Babies should always sleep on their backs and there should be no loose blankets or toys in the crib, to reduce the risk of SIDS. To prevent your baby from getting too hot, don’t bundle him up too much and keep your home between 68 and 72 degrees.

Filed Under: Child health, Family Life Tagged With: , ,

Fun, Free, Healthy Family Activities

Nothing is better than spending time with your family. When you have younger children, they will love being with you, as kids get older you need to be a little more creative. In a world where people spend too much time sitting at school desks, work desks, computers, TVs, and video games, it’s important to get active. Why not get active together as a family? Here are some great ways to get moving as a family, without spending a dime.

Dance Off
Kids of all ages love to dance around. Put on some tunes and spend 30 minutes showing off your best, or worst, dance moves. Be silly, have fun. No one cares how you dance, the point to so have a great time with your kids and burn some calories. It won’t even feel like exercise. Kids of all ages love to dance, so this is great for the entire family.

Play Around
Weather permitting, spend as much time outside as possible. Depending on the ages of your children, you can play games of chase, tag, have races across the yard, or play kickball or baseball. The kids will love to try and beat you in a race, and you’ll be exercising without even realizing it. Isn’t it great that playing and running around doesn’t feel like exercise, but boy can it burn those calories!

Go on a Nature Treasure Hunt
If you live near a nature park, woods, or something similar, gather the family up for a nice walk in the woods. Look for cool leaves, pretty flowers, cool rocks or any other natural treasure. Don’t be surprised if some of these treasures make their way back home in you kid’s pockets.

Filed Under: Family health, Family Life Tagged With: , ,

Green Parenting Tips

Many people are seeing the benefits of living a green lifestyle and as they become parents, they want to incorporate this way of living with their children. When you live a green lifestyle, it isn’t just about recycling, eating organic food and using nontoxic cleaning products, it also means living sustainably so that what we do now will not affect the earth for our children and their children.

Paint the nursery at least a month before baby is expected to arrive, using no or low VOC paint. This way there will be no doubt that any remaining fumes will be long gone by the time baby makes her big arrival. Wash all curtains and drapes prior to hanging them up, as well as all baby’s bedding. This will remove any chemical residue from the manufacturing of the products. Better yet, don’t paint at all!

If you could only invest in one green item, most experts would agree that an organic crib mattress would be the best thing to purchase. Look for a mattress that doesn’t contain PVC, but does have organic wool and certified cotton. To save money on the overall bedding, choose a crib that can convert into a toddler bed. Some will then convert further into a full size bed, saving you even more money in the future.

Babies put everything in their mouth, so keep things simple. Don’t buy too many toys and the ones that you do buy, find natural or handmade toys. Many plastic toys have health issues and should be avoided. Instead, let little ones play with things you already have around the house. Remember banging on pots and pans with wooden spoons? As the kids get older, let them plant their own garden for fun outside activities and healthy eating.

Filed Under: Family Life, Parenting Tagged With: , ,

Tips for a Healthy Family Lifestyle

Childhood obesity is a growing concern among many Americans, mostly due to a combination of reduced activity levels and eating processed foods. Of course these are not the only reasons that there are more overweight children than ever before. As a parent, your children will look to you to learn how to live a healthy life. Since being healthy benefits everyone in the family, why not tackle it together as a family.

It makes perfect sense for everyone in the family to eat healthy and be active. What better way to have a close family with a strong bond than to do fun things together? Things that will get the family up, out and moving will not only burn calories but will make a family grow closer together. One of the easiest ways to get moving as a family is to head outside and play. Yes, even parents will find it a blast to challenge the kids in a game of tag. Kids will get a kick out of running races against their parents. Or, play a game of kickball, baseball, or anything else that your family enjoys.

Making dietary changes is another great way to get healthy together as a family. Switch to fat free milk, keep portion sizes to fist size, drink a glass of water before each meal, put more veggies on your plates than carbs, and increase the fiber.

Getting healthy can be fun. How about getting a dog and walk it, or go for a family Sunday walk instead of a drive? You can also do sit-ups while watching TV, park the car far away in public parking lots and walk to the front entrance, or walk kids to school.

Filed Under: Family health, Family Life Tagged With: , ,
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