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Revealed: The Financial Impact A Big Family Can Have On Your Home

August 4th, 2017 Posted in family finance
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Having a big family has a lot of pros and cons. The most obvious pro is that you’ve got a lovely large family with a lot of amazing children. It can be a lot of fun for everyone, particularly your children as they can all play with one another.

Unfortunately, a big family can be hard for your finances. Especially when we’re talking about the home you live in. The more people living in a home, the more negative the financial impact can be.

Below, we’ve got a few points that show you how a big family can impact your finances:

Revealed: The Financial Impact A Big Family Can Have On Your Home - family home image

(Pexels: http://bit.ly/2ljH6HE)

You Need A Big Home

If you’ve got four or more kids, it really narrows down your property search. You can no longer look at small family homes or apartments, you need something big and spacious. As a result, you’re probably looking at properties with multiple bedrooms at the higher end of the market. In turn, these cost loads of money, and you’ll probably have to get a large mortgage from a company like Enness Mortgages. You could potentially be paying double what someone with two kids pays for their home. If you want to live comfortably, you need a big home for your big family, so your hands are pretty much tied.

The alternative is to stay in your current home and try to increase its size through renovations. However, this still means you’ll be paying a lot of money. So, either way, your family is forced to spend a lot on your home when you have a big family.

Revealed: The Financial Impact A Big Family Can Have On Your Home - money rolls image

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You Have Higher Monthly Costs

When you have a house, you get the benefit of not paying rent. But, this doesn’t mean there are no monthly costs to pay. You’ve still go to pay all of your utility bills, and the size of your family greatly affects this.

When you’ve got a big family, you have more people using energy, more people using water, and more people using the internet/TV/phone. As a result, your bills can go through the roof. Imagine having four kids all in their rooms with their lights on watching TV? Or, think about the morning routine where your entire family uses loads of hot water as you wash. Every month, you will be paying a fortune for various utilities because of your large family.

At this point, it looks like it’s all doom and gloom for your big family. Naturally, some of you may be put off having lots of kids after this! But, don’t worry, there are steps you can take to contain things and ensure your finances don’t take that much of a hit. If you search for houses that are maybe in slightly cheaper neighborhoods, you can still get a big house without overpaying for it. A lot of the time, the further away from a major city you look, the cheaper the houses are. Also, teach your kids about saving energy and make sure they turn things off when they’re not using them. Also, get energy saving appliances to help as well.

There’s no denying a big family will have a huge financial impact on your home, but it’s just one of those things you have to be conscious of and learn how to deal with so it doesn’t damage you too much.

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How To Prepare for a Disaster

August 4th, 2017 Posted in Uncategorized
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We all hope it wont happen to us, but every year thousands of people are affected by natural and man made disasters. This article explores some great advice about how you can be prepared.

If you are a senior or care for a senior, a disaster is one of your worst fears. Whether it’s a natural disaster like a hurricane or flood, or man-made disaster like a nuclear disaster, it’s a terrifying experience.

So many things to think about. Who needs to be contacted? If you need to evacuate, where do you go? How do you remember everything to bring? What about emergency medical needs? It can feel overwhelming, leading you to not do anything.

It doesn’t need to be that way. By following a simple set of instructions, you can be prepared for almost any disaster. It won’t necessarily make things easier, but it will make it safer and set your mind at ease.

Here are 11 ways for seniors to prepare for disasters. These steps will help you be ready for anything you may confront.

How to be prepared for a disaster - emergency kit image

#1 – Learn In Advance

Long before any disaster occurs, you need to know the possibilities. First, do some research about natural disasters that could occur in your area. For example, if you live on the west coast, earthquakes are a distinct possibility. If you live on the Gulf Coast, hurricanes are a semi-regular occurrence. If you live in the midwest, you’re vulnerable to tornadoes. If you live in the far north, snowstorms can be a problem.

If you or a family member has a particular medical condition, that should be taken into account as well. If you live in an older home, consider things like house fires and gas leaks.

Knowing what may happen allows you to prepare effectively.

#2 – Create An Escape Route

If a disaster occurs or is going to occur, there’s a high likelihood that you’ll need to escape the area quickly to prevent injury. If you don’t know the route you’ll take in advance, there’s a chance you could get caught in long traffic lines or use roads that aren’t available. If your community has a prepared escape route, familiarize yourself with that.

The same goes for the home. In the event of a fire or other home emergency, every family member needs to know the proper escape route. If you can’t move without help or are caring for someone in that position, that also must be accounted for. The last thing you want to happen is for someone to be trapped inside a burning house or left behind.

Finally, there should be an established meeting place for everyone once they escape the house to ensure that all are safe.

You may want to consider buying the appropriate equipment, such as ladders or instruments for breaking windows.

#3 – Get To Know The Community

In addition to knowing potential disasters that could strike your area, you should also know ways your community is prepared for disaster. Ask for information regarding:

  • The local radio station where emergency information will be broadcast.
  • The locations of local disaster shelters.
  • The community warning systems, such as sirens.
  • Transportation methods for those without vehicles.

This information is especially important if you live alone and don’t have anyone nearby to care for you in the event of a disaster.

#4 – Establish Points Of Communication

In the event of a disaster, you want to know who will be checking in on you. If you’re caring for someone, you want them to have the knowledge that you will make sure they’re okay. The worst case scenario is you or someone you love being trapped or in danger and no one knowing it.

Create a check-in plan that will keep everyone in regular communication. Establish times when contact will be made. Also, create a plan in the event that someone fails to check in. This will ensure that everyone knows all essential information in the event of a disaster.

#5 – Prepare An Emergency Kit

An emergency kit contains all that you need to survive during and after a disaster. This kit should be assembled well in advance and contain all the necessary items to ensure survival and treat medical emergencies. Everyone should know where the kit is.

At a minimum, the kit should include:

  • A three day supply of water, assuming one gallon per person per day
  • A three day supply of non-perishable food.
  • A flashlight and batteries
  • A first aid kit
  • Basic hygiene items
  • Waterproof matches
  • Blanket
  • Copies of all essential information, such as identification and credit cards
  • Cash and coins
  • Basic cooking utensils
  • A multi-purpose tool
  • A cell phone charger
  • A whistle
  • Any special items, such as medication, glasses, hearing aid batteries, etc.

This kit should regularly maintained. Batteries should be replaced once per year, cell phone chargers should be updated to the current model, photocopies should be updated when new cards are acquired. Throw out damaged cans and place boxes in tight containers. If possible, the entire kit should be stored in an airtight, waterproof container.

Forgetting to keep your kit updated can render some items useless.

#6 – Create Emergency Contact Cards

Every person in the family should have an emergency contact card. The card should be kept in an easily accessible place, like a wallet or purse, and should contain the following information:

  • Medications
  • Allergies
  • Blood type
  • Immunizations
  • Adaptive equipment (pacemaker, etc.)
  • Communication difficulties
  • Emergency contact information

If you or the person you’re caring for gets hurt, this will allow strangers to effectively care for them.

#7 – Take A Home Inventory

If your home is damaged or destroyed, you’ll need to file insurance claims. The insurance company will want to know what was damaged and will then recompense you accordingly. Without some sort of formal home inventory, there’s no way to remember all the items in your home.

Create a home inventory list, print it out, and then store it in a safe place. If you are tech savvy, you can also take photos and then use an online service to store them.

#8 – Know CPR

Disasters can result in a variety of literally heart-stopping conditions, whether that’s a heart attack or an injury. In these cases, it’s essential that someone in the house know the proper way to perform CPR. Ideally, you should also have an automated external defibrillator (AED) and have at least one person who knows how to use it. Both of these things can be absolutely lifesaving.

#9 – Check and Maintain Fire Extinguishers

In the event of a house fire, fire extinguishers will be the first line of defense. However, it’s not enough to just purchase them – they need to be regularly checked. Pay careful attention to the expiration dates and test them once per year to ensure they’re still working properly.

If you don’t feel comfortable performing this task, considering hiring a professional safety company to maintain all your extinguishers.

#10 – Copy Essential Documents

Important documents like your driver’s license, SSN card, passport, will, deeds, financial statements, and insurance information should be copied and then put in a safe, offsite location. Consider using a safe deposit box or someone you trust with such information.

#11 – Take Note Of Any Special Needs

If you or someone you are caring for has disabilities or special needs, these need to be carefully considered. These special needs include:

  • Wheelchairs – You’ll need a special route to evacuate with a wheelchair, as well a way to transport the wheelchair. If you use a motorized wheelchair, you’ll need to think about backup batteries or a backup wheelchair.
  • Visual difficulties – If you’re blind or visually impaired, keep a cane with a whistle attached to it close by. Also, remember that your escape route from your home or building may have become blocked or littered with debris.
  • Hearing impaired – Those with hearing challenges need to include extra hearing aid batteries in the emergency kit. They must be able to be located quickly after a disaster occurs.

Conclusion

A disaster may be your worst nightmare, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. The key is to prepare well in advance, and then stay prepared as a disaster approaches. Don’t panic, but stay calm. Trust your preparation, trust your emergency kit, and trust those on your contact list.

Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Thankfully, this won’t be the case for you. By preparing, you are preventing yourself from failing. The worst may come, but you’re ready for the worst. That makes all the difference.

Reproduced with permission from John Hawthorn from his original post at https://burialinsurancecoverage.com/11-critical-ways-seniors-can-prepare-for-disaster/

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Teaching Your Kids About DIY

July 30th, 2017 Posted in Money Tips, teaching children about money
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We all know that the things that you learn from a young age stay with you for the rest of your life. Not only does teaching your kids about DIY give them some invaluable practical skills, it will also help them to save money in the future as they won’t have to hire expensive contractors every time there is a problem around the home.

Teaching Your Kids About DIY - workbench image

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You may just be doing a couple of simple jobs around the house or you may be involved in a major project that requires a steel building from Armstrong Steel. Either way, it is a good idea to teach your kids the basics while ensuring that any tasks that they do take part in are completely safe. Here are a few ideas about what they can do.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

You will probably be well aware of the old adage measure twice, cut once, but accuracy is one of the most important lessons that you can teach your kids so that they don’t have to go back and do a job all over again, which is not financially sound. Teach your kids how to read a measuring tape and make sure that they know to always double check their results. Once they become more experienced, allow them to do the measuring all by themselves.

Drive Screws

Before letting your kids loose with power tools, you will want to make sure that they are mature enough to handle them and the whole process is completely safe. A good starting point is a powered screwdriver which doesn’t spin at the same rate as a drill and the bits aren’t as sharp so it is less dangerous. Make sure that you supervise them well and you can teach them the valuable skills of patience and coordination.

A Lick of Paint

Teaching Your Kids About DIY - paint pots image

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Painting is a great DIY task to teach your kids as it is one of the safest that you can allow them to get on with. To start off with, you can get them enthusiastic about it by heading down to your local paint store and allowing them to pick out the colours themselves. Afterwards, you can teach them all the basics involved in the process including preparing the paint, using different methods (brush, roller etc) and the cleaning up afterwards.

Organising the Toolbox

Though it may not seem as exciting as some of the other jobs that you can tackle, organising the toolbox with your kids gives you the opportunity to show them each individual tool and explain in detail about what they all do. In the future, this will make it much easier when you decide that it is time to teach them how to use them.

Remove Nails

You may think that hammering in nails is a little too dangerous right now, but you could teach your kids to remove nails instead using the other side of the claw hammer. Make sure that they aren’t buried in too deep as this is when things can become a little tricky. http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/dozarplati-srochnye-zaimi-online.html

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Family Finance and Family Business: Start Teaching Your Kids to Manage Money Early

July 25th, 2017 Posted in Money Tips
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family business finance - piggy bank image

Source: unsplash.com

Having a family business is hard on its own since you need to know how to handle family and business as two separate entities as well as how not to let one suffer because of the other. This type of business usually lasts for generations or that’s the plan at least, and there’s nothing more satisfying for a parent than to leave their legacy to their children. But before taking such a big step, parents should prepare their children for this future by teaching them about some facts and aspects of the family business as early as possible.

Running a family business is no different than managing any other business. And all businesses have some basics which need to be mastered, such as managing and budgets, resource allocations and knowing how everything fits together into a successful undertaking. With the intention of helping you achieve just that, we’ve singled out a few hints to help you prepare your children for walking in your shoes one day.

1.      Draft a business and budget plan

family business finance - lady with laptop image

Source: pexels.com

Just like with everything else, having a good plan can help you clarify what comes ahead and how to handle it in time. Every successful business is built on sound planning and financial predictions, the same applies to your family business and its future. Whether you’re old school and decide to use a pen and paper, or technologically savvy and decide to conduct your budgeting electronically, it is very important that you start preparing for the day your children take over the helm. Also, if you’re in any doubt you can always contact a bank or financial advisor to help you crunch those numbers.

1.      Separate business and family, but not quite

It’s very important to be clear and honest with your children from the start about what you expect from them in the future. It is prudent to leave your business problems far away from family matters, although there are some things to which the same principles should apply – money. Teaching your children about the value of money and how to be responsible with it doesn’t need to be separate from teaching them how the financial side of running the business works.

What you do need to separate are the roles. At home you are a family, and at work you are co-workers, and by separating the professional from the personal you’ll be able to convey discipline and ethics without losing your footing on both sides.

2.      Start from the beginning

Every family business is a story which needs to be passed down from generation to generation. Your job as a storyteller is to tell it as simply and interestingly as possible so your successors understand what’s ahead of them and are willing to take their place when the time comes. The latter means you will have to explain to them the rules and responsibilities, structure, management, financial transactions and dealings, as well as the clientele, future plans and the market.

3.      Finances – the backbone of your business

family business finance - computer finances image

Source: pexels.com

If you are the soul, then your finances are the backbone holding it all together. We’ve already mentioned that money and how to handle it responsibly shouldn’t be treated any differently than you do it inside your family. From an early age, your children should know that every penny counts and that it has to be earned and spent responsibly. You can let them work on some summer jobs for the family business, starting from the lowest position so they could connect the effort with the reward. Also, you can ask them to present you their ideas and financial plan on how to realise them and make them profitable.

4.      Representation is also important

There is one other aspect you should also include and that’s marketing. This one might be closer to your children’s interests than you may think since today’s advertising efforts are mostly digital and Internet-based.

family business finance - office desk image

Source: pexels.com

Help them understand that by investing in the presentation of your family business and its brand, they can increase the profit and promote the image. It may seem easy and a money saver to do it by themselves, but entrusting the SEO company to promote your website and hiring design professionals to embellish your image will save them time and resources while providing excellent results. It will also be a good lesson for them to see how allocation of work can be beneficial for the business.

Finally

family business finance - family fun image

Don’t be afraid to talk about money with your children. By teaching them about its value and significance you will inspire them with responsible habits and manner of handling it. Showing them how your family business works from the inside out and the important role financial background and forecasts have in its success will prepare them for ongoing and new activities when they take over. http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/ekapusta-besplatniy-zaim.html

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Do More Than Insure

July 25th, 2017 Posted in Money Tips
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Tips for car insurance, do more than insure - night driving image

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Everyone knows that the roads can be a dangerous place. This is why it’s a legal requirement to have insurance on your car in most places. This sort of cover protects other drivers from your mistakes, giving them a chance to have their car fixed without relying on you to have the funds to do it. As the roads get more populated, though, they are getting even more riskier. The lengths that you can use to protect yourself are becoming more varied and reliant on tech. To help you out with this, this post will be going through some of the best ways to compliment your insurance, ensuring complete security on the road.

Nowadays, it’s becoming much more common for legal battles to come out of car accidents. When people get hurt, they will often try to claim compensation for any time they’ve had to spend out of work. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to test someone for whiplash. So, if you get into an accident, people will often claim to have this affliction without any evidence at all. Protecting yourself against this sort of behaviour is nice and easy, though. Video is the considered to be the greatest evidence you can have. It provides definitive proof as to whether or not you were at fault during an accident. Dash cams have become incredibly cheap in recent years, providing you with the chance to pick one up for nearly nothing at all. Just take a look at websites like Amazon and eBay to find the cheapest examples.

Of course, you can’t just rely on video to get you out of a jam. Instead, it’s best to go even further with this effort. Legal professionals come in loads of shapes and sizes, with some offering the best protection against theft or assault, and others being better at helping people with car accident claims. It’s important to choose the right person to help you at this stage. You can’t just choose any car accident lawyer and hope for the best; research has to be done. Use online reviews and testimonials from other clients to find out which of your local lawyers would be best to represent you. Some professionals will be happy to travel to serve their clients, so it’s worth looking quite broadly.

Do more than insure, tips for car insurance - Japan night driving image

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Sometimes, the best way to protect yourself on the road is by learning how to drive defensively. Most normal driving courses don’t really teach you how to drive. Instead, they simply give you the basic knowledge you need to pass the test. Most people will pick up the rest of the skills they need in the first few years of driving, leaving it to their own instincts and habits to shape them. Unfortunately, this can lead to poor driving and struggling to get through difficult situations. To solve this, advanced driving courses can be taken, offering the chance to improve your driving and get better on the road. This is one of the best ways to protect yourself but will be most effective with your other lines of defence.

Hopefully, this post will help you to understand exactly what can be done when you’re trying to make driving more secure and safe for yourself. Along with helping you, these methods can also help the drivers around you. By making a conscious effort to improve your driving, you will have more success than you expect. http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/fastmoney-srochnyi-zaim-na-kartu.html

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