GuestBlogger – Page 15 – Mommy's Hangout/Atlanta Mommy Blogger/Jen Williams

Educate Yourself: How to Prepare Your Credit for a Home Purchase

October 28, 2011 by GuestBlogger

Even in today’s unstable economy, many people are still getting tired of renting and want a home of their own. If you and your family are among them, then you are in luck—it continues to be a buyers’ market. In order to find your dream home and take advantage of the market’s low interest rate, it is important to have an excellent credit rating. Some careful research and planning can help. Here are some ways to get started.

The Credit Score

Creditors usually report your credit history to three national credit agencies. This information includes the history of your credit, the types of credit used, the amount of debt you owe, and payment history. It will tell potential lenders if you have made your payments on time and if there are any delinquent accounts. For a nominal fee, you may get a copy of your credit report sent for you to review. If you have been denied credit, one of the credit reporting agencies will send you a free copy.

Cleaning Up The Mess

After you have reviewed your credit report, it becomes clear what you might need to do to clean up the report. Credit cards that are maxed out are a huge problem and can negatively impact your credit. Keeping the credit cards open, but only carrying small balances, can go a long way for showing that you are not someone who is a risk. Simply having a high debt to ratio on your report is a good way to show a lender that you cannot manage money well. Here are things not to do to clean up your credit:

1. Do not close off zero balance accounts, they may actually help credit.

2. Do not transfer balances from one credit card to another. This is known as moving debt around and can be messy on a credit report. Instead, pay off the debts. Start with the smallest and work until the largest is paid in full.

3. Do not open any new accounts. New accounts can take up to a year to show good history and improve your credit score. This may actually lower the credit score rather than improve it.

4. Do not be fooled by the sites that offer to fix your credit for a fee. These companies may even offer services such as adding a second identity, which is illegal. You can fix your credit scores and most errors by yourself.

5. One of the main ways that people can fix their credit report and save their score is by uncovering mistakes. Credit reports can be filled with errors which are easily erased. All the credit reporting agencies have a dispute form that you can file to have a debt erased if it is not accurate.

Owning a home is the American dream. It is not impossible to purchase a home if you have a credit score of about 600. The thing that will separate prime lenders from high-risk lenders is the score itself. Even if you have to start out with a higher interest rate, you may be able to refinance your mortgage at a prime rate if you keep a good credit score.

Thomas Masterson is a career counselor specializing in the financial industry and also writes for thebestcolleges.org, a website providing lists and information about online colleges, as well as top college reviews and ratings.

Children’s Christmas Gift Ideas

October 25, 2011 by GuestBlogger

Shopping for children can be extremely difficult, especially if their Christmas wish list is limited to just one or two themes. Your child may think that they’ll be happy with a Power Rangers action figure set, but that would be a rather boring day! If you have enough money in your Christmas present budget, why not add a few extra toys just to surprise your children with a little extra on the day?

Here are a few gift ideas, ranging from the small and simple to the fancy and more luxurious, that most children will love:

1. Design your own sneakers: Converse sneakers are less expensive than many other brands, but still popular with fashion conscious kids. Even youngsters that don’t care about brand names will love the “design your own” element, though, and will have fun decorating their new shoes.

2. Forts: Instead of building a fort out of cardboard boxes, why not make a real bedroom fort with these life-size tinker toys for children of all ages?

3. A go kart: Karts, cars, and bikes are gifts that will last until the summer and beyond. If you want to get your kids playing outside, give them something with wheels, they’ll love it.

4. RC Toys: Radio controlled gadgets come in all shapes and sizes. Whether your kids like tanks, robots, or flying sharks, if it can move, you can get it in radio controlled form.

5. Toys for their imagination & education: Educational toys are a superb present for your children, especially when they are in their early stages of life and development. So why not incorporate something fun and exciting with their learning? Most children love robots, and toys that move on their own, so a gift from KinderLab Robotics could be the perfect solution. This will help them not only have hours of fun but also learn the basics of coding, robotics and science!

6. A climbing frame: Energetic kids will really appreciate outdoor garden toys for children. If you have a big enough garden to accommodate a climbing frame, jungle gym, slides, or a swing, then your kids will be the envy of the neighborhood. The only downside to buying garden toys for Christmas is that if it snows, you won’t be able to put the toys up, which could lead to tears on the day.

If you’re really stuck for ideas, remember that most kids love things that are creative, noisy, or messy. If you can combine those three things, you’ll definitely have something that will be a big hit.

Older kids can be harder to buy for than younger ones, but it’s hard to go wrong if you stick close to their interests. If you’re buying for someone else’s child, stick to something simple – for example an MP3 player, a voucher for a video game, or some toys that you know they’ll love (e.g. a Star Wars Science Kit for a Star Wars fan) will go down well. Buying clothes or expensive toys is a bad idea unless you know the family well.

Remember that Christmas is a time of celebration, not just gift giving. If you don’t have a lot of money, don’t go into debt trying to spend a fortune on toys that your children will grow out of quickly. You can have a good time without overspending, and there’s no need to get into a competition to see who can spend the most on their children. Why not teach them that it’s the thought that counts?

This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of The Original Factory Shop, who offer garden toys for children and other household goods.

Inexpensive “Me” Time Ideas for SAH Moms

October 23, 2011 by GuestBlogger

Many stay-at-home moms feel they are constantly working. While traditional employment offers a close of shift or weekends off, motherhood is a job with infrequent breaks. Young children need care each day for an average of 15 hours. Often, the chores involved with tending the home and children are not completed before bedtime, so extra hours are put into completing tasks. “Me time” is, for most stay-at-home moms, an infrequent jaunt out of the house without the kids in tow. On a day when her spouse is off of work, a stay-at-home mom may find herself looking for things to do with an afternoon of time alone. These are a few frugal ideas for “me time” that cost under $25 each.

Manicures are an inexpensive way to indulge in pampering. Skip the acrylic tips and select a basic manicure, which costs a fraction of the price. The nail technician will open the skin’s pores with a warm towel. A soothing massage is given to the hands and forearms, easing muscle strain and fatigue. A thin, beveled stick of orange wood is used to push cuticles back and clean under the fingernails. Nails are cut and filed to the desired shape. Polish is included with the price of a traditional manicure, but French manicures may add to the price. Some full-service salons offer complimentary wine with their treatments. These establishments provide an excellent afternoon mini-retreat.

Sports enthusiasts may enjoy an afternoon game for a local, minor-league team. Most weekend games are played in the evening to attract a multitude of spectators, but many weekday afternoons have scheduled matches. General admission tickets to a minor league baseball game often cost less than $10. With money to spare for a beer and a hotdog, minor league sports are an excellent option for a “me time” afternoon getaway.

Many locations in the United States have production vineyards where moms can treat themselves to a wine tasting. Making a trip to a few wineries in a nearby location makes an enjoyable afternoon for wine aficionados. Tasting may be free for a few varieties at each location, but some wineries may charge a small fee for additional samples. Wine-loving moms will enjoy the opportunity to taste new vintages and make notes of favorites. Wine does not have to be expensive to be enjoyable, so it is possible to find two bottles of wine under $25 during an afternoon tasting trip.

Moms may make snacks for their children, but it may be a rare occasion when they get to enjoy something they truly love eating without having to share. Gourmet ice cream shops, coffee houses and dessert boutiques cater to an older crowd, offering much more variety than simple cookies and chocolate cake. Instead of worrying about her own kids, a mom can indulge her inner child as she relishes a sweet dessert. If she finds a sale, a mom may even be able to take a treat back home with her to share with the rest of the family.

This post was contributed by Sara Woods, who writes for Coupon Croc, where you can find savings on all of the essentials, and a little luxuries, when you do your shopping online.

10 Money Based Origami Projects Available On Etsy

October 13, 2011 by GuestBlogger

Origami is a traditional and beloved art form that has been passed down through the generations. While originating in the East, it has become a pass time in the West as well, spanning the globe. You can often find books on the subject, and some grade school art classes teach simple folding methods like swans and hearts. You might even remember playing a game yourself with a folded hand fortune teller based on chosen numbers.

If you have always have a love of origami figures, and you like the look of art made with dollars instead of regular paper, you might find yourself intrigued by these hand crafted products. Each one was made by an Etsy user, and feature money of different amounts folded into shapes like flowers, hearts and even clothes.

1. Money Flower Wedding Garter

This interesting little addition to a wedding ensemble has been made from real money attached to a lace garter.

The symbolism seems to be prosperity in marriage, which is a nice sentiment for anyone who has ever fought over bills with their significant other. The look of the pale green against white is actually quite pleasing.

2. Shirt Earrings

A quirky little item, these dollars have been folded into mini shirts. Notice the detail in the collars, and the fold near the sleeves.

Better than the actual earrings is the description by the creator, who suggests using them for stripper tips or to gauge the level of drunkenness of those around you. Or yourself, if you are willing to wear them.

3. Dollar Bill Trust Bracelet

This interwoven dollar bill bracelet has a nice, clean look. The folds are very symmetrical, and it has been folded to make out the word “Trust” along the front. Inside is “In God”, so this is perfect for anyone who likes a public symbol of their religious beliefs.

4. Money Rose

This is a very pretty rose bloom that has been folded with $1 bills. The shaping and detail is fantastic, with each edge made to really resemble a petal. It has a 3.5 inch stem, and it was made with $5 in monetary value.

5. <Framed Button-Up Collared Shirt

If you ever find yourself in an emergency where only a few bucks â€“ or a very small shirt made of money â€“ will do, you are in luck. This frame with a glass front and easel back features a shirt made of dollar bills. Across the bottom are the words “Break In Case Of Emergency”. Weird, but kind of cool.

6. Money Box

Not technically made of money, this box is instead created from a bottom fabric over a harder base. They recommend you use it for a gift box, as it can be reused by the recipient.

It is actually a pretty good idea, as it costs about the same as wrapping normally would for a store, which is disposable. Think of it as an environmentally friendly option.

7. I <3 You Mom

This artist commonly uses origami money figures. In this piece, there is a folded message of “I <3 You Mom” done in dollar bills, fully framed. It is a cute idea for kids for Mother’s Day or a birthday.

8. Dollar Ring

Made by the same artist as the one above, this is a dollar ring he suggests to use for special occasions, dollar tips and folded into greeting cards. If you know someone who likes interesting conversation pieces, this could make a nice little offering.

9. Dollar In Glass Pendant

This is a cute glass pendant with origami shapes inside, made out of a dollar bill. They are small andÂ shaped into arrows pointing around the back, with a blue/green tint.

10. Dollar Blossoms

If you want to give cash with a personal touch, this artist makes folded dollar blossoms that can be taken apart later without ruining the money. They are pretty and unique to other money flowers I have seen in the past.

Do you have money origami items you have found on Etsy or elsewhere on the web? Show us in the comments!

Jessy is a DIY geek and creative blogger for Credit Card Finder, the free credit card comparison tool based in Australia.

5 Forgotten Freebies For Keeping Kids Entertained

October 4, 2011 by GuestBlogger

The dollar is having to get stretched thinner and thinner every day. Between a stagnant salary and economic uncertainty in the grand scheme of things, the costs of keeping kids entertained can easily become too much to afford. To get the latest video game title you have to drop $60, and chances are your kid will play it once and forget about it immediately anyway. Yet with a full-time job, there’s no under-appreciating the power of entertainment when it comes to keeping kids busy and out of trouble. But who says you need to spend money to keep kids entertained?

Here are five free ways to make your kids happy that most parents have seemed to have forgotten in recent years:

1. Go to the library.

While it’s ideal that your son or daughter would want to go to the library and read on their own, chances are they’ll be much more interested in the DVD section. Unlike rental houses and DVD-thru-the-mail, borrowing movies at the reliable library is absolutely free, granted you return them on time. It’s a great place to stop by after work to fill up on titles to keep your kids settled when you want to relax on a Friday night.

2. Turn on PBS

If the cable had to get turned off, then take advantage of the awesome amount of public broadcasting now available in the aftermath of the digital transfer of 2009. PBS now has three different channels, one of which is 24 hours of non-stop kids cartoons. Per the PBS tradition, these programs are educational, entertaining, but above all free of charge (Just promise yourself to make a donation to PBS someday when you’re in better financial times.)

3. Take them to a playground.

Every time I drive by park playground equipment I’m always shocked at how unused that stuff seems to be no matter how nice it is outside. When I was a kid, there wasn’t anything more fun than jumping off swing sets and flipping through the monkey bars. If your kids are a couple of couch potatoes, peel them off the sofa and take them to a park. All it will cost you is the gas to get there.

4. Online video games

Sometimes outdoor activities aren’t suitable, in which case you should take advantage of the openness of the Internet to keep your kids busy. You might not be able to afford that new game for your son’s Xbox 360 but sites such as Miniclip.com feature hundreds of different free games with themes that vary from sports to outer space. The graphics aren’t exactly the most breathtaking but kids hardly care about that stuff; as long as the game is exciting, they’ll stay focused. As long as it’s free, you’re happy.

5. Rainy day games

Whether it’s hide-and-go-seek or a good old fashioned game of War with a deck of cards lying around, there’s a lot more that can be done around the house than both parents and kids realize. It might take some imagination, but it wasn’t that long ago when families were without a computer, cable TV, and video games. They managed. You can to.

We want to give our children what makes them happy, especially when they’re deserving of it. But in times such as these we can’t always do that. We can, however, take advantage of free ways to keep kids entertained. Whether it’s a jungle gym or an online game, you’re sure to find a free form of entertainment you’re kids will love.