|
Household Management
[ Home ] [ About this Site ] [ Privacy Statement ] [ Internet Use Contract ] [ NobleEd News Award ] [ News ] [ Book Store ] [ Site Contents ] [ Recognition ] [ Teacher Center ] [ Parent Center ] [ Student Center ] [ Career and Education Articles ] [ Greeting Card Center ] [ Music Center ] [ Art Gallery ] [ National Geographic Posters ] [ Technology Center ] [ Computer Store ] [ Games ] [ Link to Us ] [ NobleEd News Email ] [ NobleEd Newsletter ] [ New Page 1 ]
[ Health ] [ In the Kitchen ] [ Parenting ] [ Crafts ] [ Parent Center News ] [ School ] [ Household Management ] [ Home and Family ] [ Babysitter Checklist ] [ Work From Home ]
[ Debt Management ] [ Disability Insurance ] [ Long Term Care Insurance ] [ Life Insuarance ] [ 401 K ] [ Annuities ] [ Lower Your Bills ] [ Budgeting ]
Get Over 300 Name Brand Items...FREE with S&H!
5 tips for purchasing a Home
by August Malson
I have written a few tips down of lessons that I learned while purchasing my
home, that I would like to share with everyone. I spent several hours on the
internet and talking with realtors, mortgage brokers, and home owners, just
trying to find that perfect deal. Here are the tips that I have found most
useful.
1) Pick a good location.
Location is a definite plus, and in most areas that is the bulk of the price of
the property. A few things to consider when purchasing a property are the
distances to Schools, Stores, and Shopping Malls.
2) Get a copy of your Credit Report.
You should get a copy of your credit report, so that you can show the various
mortgage companies your credit report and have them pre-qualify you for a loan,
without it affecting your score. This way you can actually find the best home
loan for you, without it actually affecting your credit score.
3) Decide how long you plan on staying in the home before applying for the
mortgage.
There are two major types of loans that you can get when purchasing a home. You
can either get an ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage) or a Fixed Rate Loan. If you
plan on keeping the home for more than 5 years the Fixed Rate Loan is best. You
will actually see the big amount of savings if you only plan to stay in the home
for less than 3 years with an ARM type loan.
4) Consider making a down payment.
Most home loans will only cover a certain amount of the purchase price. So in
most cases a down payment will be needed. If you are trying to purchase a home,
and you do not actually have any money saved for the down payment, then there
are programs available to assist with your purchase. Best way to find these
programs is to do a search on Google for Down Payment Assistance Programs. There
may even be some available to you
from your local/state government.
5) Learn the Art of Negotiation.
Remember Everything is Negotiable. All you have to do is ask for it. There have
been situations where I could have rolled a purchase of a boat in with the
purchase of the house. Remember just ask for it, if they don't go for the
initial offer, just ask if it is a negotiable item.
=======
For additional home buying tips, go to
http://www.thearchgu.com/real_estate
Money Saving Cleaning Formulas
Combine the ingredients below
(in the amounts listed) into an empty one gallon container.
Now... shake briefly and then add water to the top of the container.
AMOUNT: INGREDIENT:
1 qt. Rubbing alcohol
1 cup Parsons lemon ammonia
1 teaspoon Dishwashing liquid
16 oz.or 1 pt. Simple Green (optional)
21 oz. Brand name all-purpose
(409 or Fantastic)
TOP OFF YOUR GALLON CONTAINER WITH WATER
Now...pour solution into a small spray bottle and your money saving
all-purpose cleaner is ready to use!
Everyone uses all purpose cleaner and glass cleaner of some kind, and
everyone likes this proven formula!
The more you use, the more money you save!
GLASS CLEANER
Combine the ingredients below (in the amounts listed) into an empty one gallon
container. Now... shake briefly and then add water to the top of the
container.
AMOUNT: INGREDIENT:
1 qt. Vinegar
1 cup Parsons lemon ammonia
24 oz. Brand name glass cleaner
(Windex or other brand)
TOP OFF YOUR GALLON CONTAINER WITH WATER
Now...pour solution into a small spray bottle and your money saving glass
cleaner is ready to use!
Visit us at:
http://www.CleanUpTheProfits.com $749 dollars weekly, cleaning offices
PART-TIME!
mailto:
sam@cleanuptheprofits.com
A Chart For Everything
By Kayla Fay
For every season, check, check, check,
There is a chart, check, check, check,
And a chart can replace some of your nagging.
A chart for chores,
A chart for grades.
A chart for homework,
A chart for hygiene.
A chart for tracking tv.
A chart for everything..
I used to spend all of my seasons nagging. The song at our home used to sound
like this:
"Ron, did you brush your teeth? Joe, is your snack in your book bag? Mike, are
your gym clothes ready? Ash, have you done your reading log? Ron, did you finish
your math? Ron, did you vacuum the living room? Joe, did you do your
social studies? Joe, is the trash at the street? Mike, did you clean the
bathroom? Ash, are the dishes put away? Ron, did you brush your teeth."
We had no time of silence and no time of peace. The constant sound of my voice
annoyed ME, and I know it annoyed my kids. Multiply four kids, eight daily
responsibilities, about three reminders per task, and I was averaging close to
100 nags per day. Since we posted the chart, I only have to ask, "Is your chart
done?" Even on bad days, nagging is only a fraction of what it was before.
During school, we have chores for daily work and charts for weekend work. In the
summer we have a chore chart and a very popular television spreadsheet. The boys
make their own charts for homework and grades. I also have charts
for me; keeping up with what is required of me is hard to remember.
Charts can be prepared on a spreadsheet or word document with chores and tasks
written. Visual learners may benefit from charts generated using pictures.
Whatever the method, charts can provide a tangible reminder that will make the
difference between a task being completed, left hanging, or forgotten.
Give every season a chart, and you may discover that it will help you find more
time, including a time to speak of something besides chores and homework!
*We have an Excel spreadsheet with examples of different types of charts
that I'd be happy to send you. Send an email to
mailto:charts3@goaskmom.com
and request this free resource.
Kayla Fay is the publisher of "Who Put the Ketchup in the Medicine Cabinet?" She
and her husband live in North Carolina with their four sons and a burping bird.
Visit Kayla at
http://www.goaskmom.com.
Copyright Pauline Wallin, Ph.D. 2003. All rights
reserved
SCHOOL SHOPPING: Less is better for your wallet and your kids
Attention parents: It's back-to-school shopping time. This year, do your kids a
favor
by NOT buying them everything they claim they need. Of course, you will probably
purchase some clothes, shoes, and school supplies.
But when it comes to expensive name brands, sports logos, celebrity-licensed
items
and electronic equipment, it's better to set limits - not only for the sake of
your
wallet, but also because it is psychologically healthier for your children.
Here's why:
- Kids who get everything they want develop expectations that this will always
be the
case. This leaves them ill prepared to deal with the world later, as adults.
- Kids who get everything they want develop a sense of entitlement, with the
assumption that things should come easily and on demand. Not only is this
unrealistic, but such a sense of entitlement fosters a very self-centered view
of life,
which can lead to relationship problems as adults.
- Kids who don't have to work for things are deprived of the opportunity to
develop
self-esteem. Self-esteem doesn't come from the brand of sneakers they wear. Nor
does it come from merely being told that they're a good person. It comes from a
sense of competence, which develops through sustained effort toward a goal
(e.g.,
saving up for those special sneakers.)
- Research shows that kids who don't learn to postpone gratification may not
develop
the "emotional intelligence" that is important for long-term success in life.
Emotional
intelligence includes skills such as self-control, confidence, empathy and
communication.
So, to help both your wallet and your kids, here are some tips for setting
limits on
back-to-school expenditures:
1. Decide in advance how much you plan to spend. Divide your list into two
categories: Necessities and Want-to-haves. Concentrate on the former.
2. If your children are of middle-school age or older, involve them in the
planning.
Give them a budget and show them the sale flyers. See what they can come up
with.
When kids are involved in all stages of a decision-making process, they are more
cooperative.
3. For younger children who demand a cartoon logo on every article of clothing,
tell
them how many such items you will allow, and let them pick the specific items.
For
example, if you allow two, they might pick a sweatshirt and a backpack, or a
jacket
and a notebook. You can also set a dollar limit on items with licensed
characters.
Allowing some degree of choice helps younger children feel a sense of mastery
and
control.
4. When you go on the shopping trip, don't rush through it. Allow time for lunch
or
videogame breaks. In this way, the shopping trip becomes a shared family
experience, not just a mad rush to acquire things.
5. Set limits not just on the dollar amount you'll be spending, but also on what
is
acceptable. Your teenager may insist on certain clothing styles that you don't
approve
of. If she starts arguing with you at the store, calmly tell her it's time to go
home. If
she continues arguing in the car, don't try to reason with her; she's too angry
to listen
to logic at that time. However, you can offer to take her shopping on another
day
when she has settled down.
6. If your child insists that he absolutely needs something that is not in your
budget,
make a deal with him to allow him to earn money toward it by doing extra chores.
However, don't buy the item until he has earned the money. This is very
important,
because it helps your child learn to plan and to work toward a goal. He will
also
appreciate more an item that he had to work for.
7. If you're like many parents, you try to set limits or to say "No", but the
kids whine
and complain so much that you eventually give in. Try your best not to succumb.
If
you give in, you are inadvertently teaching your children that if they whine
long
enough, they will eventually get their way.
--------------------------------------
Pauline Wallin, Ph.D. is a psychologist in Camp Hill, PA, and author of "Taming
Your
Inner Brat: A Guide for Transforming Self-defeating Behavior" (Beyond Words
Publishing, 2001)
Visit http://www.innerbrat.com for more
information, and subscribe to her free,
monthly Inner Brat Newsletter.
top
|
