Search Results for: blog i need a little competition to keep me going

Pretty Baby

What parent out there doesn’t think her baby is the cutest thing gracing the face of the planet? What’s more, even if your infant is not-so pretty, you’re probably not going to hear it from friends or family members. Remember the Seinfeld episode where Jerry and Elaine try to keep the vomit in their mouths after catching sight of their friend Carol’s hideous-looking baby? No one tells a parent her child is ugly. Of course, the enabling has its limits. For example, if you think your baby is all that and decide to enter him or her into the cut-throat … Continue reading →

And Snap, the Job’s a Game!

Getting your kids to do chores around the house may seem like an impossible task. Let’s face it you probably don’t like vacuuming anymore than they do, so of course they are going to fight you on it! The younger you start the easier it will be. Believe it or not, even your toddler can help with simple chores around the house. Time to get those creative juices flowing! The more fun your kids are having the more likely they are to want to do chores the next time you ask them. Turn on some music and see who can … Continue reading →

Selling on Craigslist

I’m starting my adventures. I feel as though I am constantly de-cluttering the house. We have three children that quickly outgrow clothes and toys and change interests. We are also taking our time to turn our fixer upper house into a comfortable home which means that furniture and other things that once fit in our old house (or was gotten temporarily) no longer works with our new plans. For example, we are turning one room from family room into a dual office and guest room, which means downsizing the bookcases (and the books) that were in there. Normally, our family … Continue reading →

Estate Planning and the Step Family

For too many of us, estate planning is the thing we’re always going to get to but often don’t. It’s like flossing, but with exponentially greater potential for harm. I understand why we procrastinate, believe me I do, but a failure to act in this department can have a devastating effect on your family. Our financial planner had been after us to create an estate plan for a year; as we began preparations for an extended trip through Mexico, it seemed irresponsible not to have something in place. We contacted an attorney who came highly recommended, and blithely scheduled an … Continue reading →

Halloween: Orange, Black and Green

The problem with buying reduced priced Halloween candy so early in October (you know, so you can cross it off your to-do list) is that you end up eating chocolate bars for breakfast. So much for being healthy… or green. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), my sugar-coated purchase is not doing a thing to help the planet… or my waistline. This year the EWG is encouraging parents across the nation to add some green to the black and orange Halloween mix by following some simple tips, including: Make Your Own Costume: The EWG discourages purchasing new Halloween getups … Continue reading →

Simple Tips to Help Maintain a Healthy Marriage

Today we’re going to look at some simple tips to maintain a healthy marriage. When you receive good news who is the first person you want to share it with? Is it your spouse? When an early morning phone call this week told me that I had been awarded second prize in a poetry competition, I couldn’t wait to get off the phone and tell Mick. He is always my first thought when I receive good news, because I know he will respond in an appropriate way and he did. His encouraging words left me feeling I was the cleverest … Continue reading →

Frugal Month in Review: October 2008

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” – George Eliot October has come and gone, but we can still enjoy fall and the celebration of Thanksgiving and all of the great joys of the season. Take a look back at all of the ways to save money that were featured last month. October 1st Frugal Halloween Costumes It is fall and Halloween is approaching fast, are you ready? What do the kids want to be? You can make some great homemade costumes … Continue reading →

What Works on the Court and in Marriage

Playing tennis can teach us something about marriage. When Mick and I partner each other at tennis and the opposition drops a short ball I tend to say ‘up, up, up’. He always found it helpful when we played competition tennis. The number of ‘ups’ was indicative of how fast he needed to move on the court. Even though we’re playing social tennis now and enjoy it, we’re still out there to try and win. Throughout the game we encourage each one when one of us hits a good shot and encourage each other to keep going when either of … Continue reading →

Deschooling in Upper Grades

Deschooling is a period of time a new homeschooler should take to decompress from the stresses of traditional school. Taking some time off from ‘education’ is especially important for a child who had a particularly hard time in school. In searching for the right amount of time a child should deschool when transitioning from traditional school to homeschool, I found that the consensus is that a child needs one month for every year that they spent in regular school. For a first or second grader, I suspect this deschooling time could be completed over the summer or even by just … Continue reading →

Competitive Pricing: Are You Offering Comparable Products and Services?

Earlier today, I wrote an article about how to research your competition and compare various pricing structures. It is important to keep in mind that when you are looking at what other businesses in your industry are up to, that you truthfully consider what products and services you are offering and whether they are comparable. If you are going to charge comparable prices, you really need to be offering comparable services. For example, if you offer housecleaning and maid services, look at your competitors—not just at their prices but the value of the service that a consumer gets for the … Continue reading →