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Painter Mommy

Fun stuff in the Everyday Life of a Busy Mom & Entrepreneur

Saving for Your Child’s Future Education

August 30, 2012 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

With a good education behind them, most people would agree that young people are better placed to find well-paid work, and a college education certainly adds value to any résumé. A good education is not something that can be achieved on the cheap, and most parents find it is a big help if they have made plans to save in good time, so that they have accumulated a decent fund by the time their child is ready for university or college.

Ways to save include, setting up a trust fund that will pay for college education. This attracts interest and normally matures at the point where a child reaches the age of majority. Some grandparents like to contribute to college funds and this can make a significant difference to the total saved. Certain investment firms and banks can often help with managing funds in such a way as to maximize their profitability.

Certificates of deposit and accounts with the best available interest rates are also useful savings mechanisms. For example, saving even a little bit on a regular basis will soon build into a respectable sum that will make a lot of difference to the amount that parents may need to borrow. There are a number of different types of college loans available, for example Discover Student Loans, and grants and scholarships can also help.

 

Learning about the Costs of Education

Young people are not always aware of how much education costs, which is a shame as they can learn a valuable lesson if they appreciate the extent of the expenditure necessary to see them through college. Once kids appreciate how much it takes to pay for tuition, room and board in public or private universities and colleges, it can make them fully realize the value of saving money.  It may also cause them to be more responsible about finding suitable part-time work so they can make a contribution. It will also help to make them more aware of how they are spending money whilst at college: that is a valuable message that parents should aim to communicate clearly.

 

College Finance

It’s certainly a myth that students shouldn’t do anything other than college work, or that it’s unreasonable to expect them to contribute anything at all in terms of finance for college. In many ways having an outside job can improve a student’s focus on academic work and it can certainly help them to appreciate the value of the education they are receiving.

Another false notion among some parents is that the better the school attended, the more opportunities will be opened up to their offspring after graduation. It is as if the colleges with the most expensive fees are going to automatically ‘open doors’. In fact, it’s the personality and drive of the individual that will make the difference to taking real advantage of employment opportunities, whether the student has attended a fancy private college or a state university.

All in all, parents who make sensible provision for a college fund at an early stage will find this pays welcome and important dividends for prospective college or university students.

Fun Bonding Ideas For Couples

July 30, 2012 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Oftentimes, couples can become complacent in their relationships the longer they have been together. The honeymoon phase of their partnership is years past and they have gotten into a boring routine.

What once was passionate love has turned into more of a room-mate situation and they feel like they don’t even know their partner anymore. How do you get that spark back? What can you do to get to know your spouse on a deeper level and remember why you are together in the first place? First, you have to let go of any inhibitions that could be holding you back. Remember what it was like to just hold hands and be excited to be around each other.

 

Share Your Secrets

Grab your partner and go on a long drive or pack a picnic and find a secluded corner of the park. Take turns talking about things that you never would have considered bringing up before. Name three legitimate fears and talk to your partner about how and why they became fears for you. Have your partner do the same. Swap ideas on what you would tell your 15 year old self if you could go back in time. Share 10 things you hope to be remembered for when you die.

It can feel as if you and your spouse have lost touch with each other on a personal level. Talking about the what-ifs of life will bring the two of you closer.

 

Make A Bucket List

Everyone has a bucket list full of adventures they want to go on and places they want to see. Forget about that one for a day and come up with a silly one for just you and your spouse. Include things like dressing up as your own version of a super-hero and stopping one petty crime together-like littering. If you and your spouse are not that adventurous just write one up together and do something fun that you’ve never done before, like cook up a Moroccan feast.

 

Spice Up Date Night

Nothing says boring routine relationship like a lack of alone time with your spouse. Even your date nights have become something to get out of the way rather than something to look forward to and enjoy.

Consider one of these fun and unique dates for you and your partner next time you are considering suffering through yet another comic book movie.

 

Intellectual Stimulation

Go to a bookstore and browse the shelves with your spouse. Have a deep discussion about your favorite authors and why they are your favorite.  Leave little inspiring notes in your favorite books for future readers to see.

 

A New Identity (just for the afternoon, of course!)

Instead of heading to your local diner or bar like you always do, drive somewhere several hours away and eat somewhere completely new.  Use fake names and accents and have fun with your partner while the two of you come up with complete life stories for your characters.

 

Stick Close to Home

You don’t even have to go out to have a fun date with your partner.  Just rent a movie you’ve never seen before and snuggle at home.

Put the movie on mute and take turns coming up with dialogue for the characters. Laughter truly is the best medicine when it comes to relationships.

Feeling like you don’t know your partner anymore can be one of the worst feelings in the world. Or maybe you are a new couple and want to get to know each other for the first time. Either way, these tips and ideas are sure to get you right back on track to a long, happy and fulfilling relationship.

 

Guest Poster, Christa loves bonding with her family, Italian gelato, and is a regular contributor for christiandatingsites.com

 

Five Ways to Save Time and Money on House Cleaning

April 17, 2012 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

This is a Guest Post

If, like me, you find that cleaning your house is a really time-consuming chore, these tips may be helpful to you.  While we all know that house cleaning is essential, it is often a task that we put off in order to do more enjoyable or urgent things. Luckily, with the modern-day cleaning products and technological aids that we all have in our homes, it really isn’t as bad as it used to be. Cleaning your home effectively these days doesn’t mean enduring hours of toil. In fact, there are ways to speed up the cleaning process and save some of your hard earned money at the same time.

 

Saving Time and Money

  1. Start by creating a cleaning schedule and allot only a set amount of time for cleaning each room. You must then work sticking rigidly to your schedule. Ensure that you have all your supplies ready beforehand, as you will save time by being organized and fully prepared.
  1. Avoid supposed “super” cleaners. These are highly concentrated chemical cleaners. You can achieve the same results with standard concentrations. For high concentrates, mix with water to dilute and make the solution last far longer. There is no reason to waste money when a low concentration works just as well.
  1. Declutter the trouble spots. House cleaning often hits a snag when you have to stop to declutter every area before you even get to the dusting, vacuuming or other cleaning tasks. If you have persistent trouble spots (usually the lounge and kitchen) devote some time to reorganizing these areas. It will save you a considerable amount of time when cleaning. When you do clean, remove any new clutter as you go.
  1. Use natural cleaning products. Strong chemical cleaners are often expensive. Instead, consider using natural solutions such as white vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda. These often work better than their harsh counterparts. For instance, lemon juice and fresh lemons are perfect for cleaning off hard water stains and fabric stains. The same ingredients can be used for polishing furniture (when mixed with olive oil) and for deodorizing garbage disposals. Nasty carpet stains can be removed using a white vinegar/water solution.
  1. Get help. While this may seem obvious, if you are not the only person living in a house, ask others to help out. Give everyone certain tasks to perform each day. This saves time and prevents the entire burden from falling on one individual – you!

 

Alternative Tips for Budget Cleaning

Cleaning doesn’t have to be expensive. For instance, you don’t need polish to clean your furniture, use microfiber cleaning tools that can be washed and reused. Use them dry in most cases or use a tiny bit of water or lemon/olive oil solution.

When it comes to cleaning windows, avoid using proprietary window cleaner solutions. Use warm water, white vinegar and dishwashing solution. To avoid having to clean twice, only clean the windows on cloudy days.

Finally, don’t buy a different cleaner for every task. Many cleaners and natural cleaners are multi-purpose. They work on windows, counters, tables, knick-knacks and more. A single cleaner is much better than a cluttered cabinet full.

 

When to Hire a Maid

Sometimes you are simply too busy to handle the house cleaning yourself. Don’t stress. Instead, consider hiring a maid. They can do as little or as much as you need them to.  Being professionals they will also do a better job than you could. They can handle all the rooms and associated cleaning tasks. You choose how often they need to come. It need not be expensive; most maids are quite budget friendly. The time you will save to do other things is well worth the cost.

 

Stuck in Bed

April 10, 2012 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Guest Post written by our friend Solomon Thompson

I have the flu and I must say it sucks. I can’t breathe can hardly even move, the only thing I can do is lay here in bed. I guess I can’t complain too much though because I am actually enjoying the Lifetime Movie network. I didn’t have this channel until recently when a friend of mine talked me into signing up for satellite TV. She just wouldn’t shut up about direct tv brooklyn until I called them a few weeks ago, and honestly right now I am glad I did, it makes me believe that I might actually survive this horrid flu. I’ve never been one to watch TV in bed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this small episode of being bed ridden spoils me and I start planning actual days in bed to enjoy the Lifetime Movie network. I am also getting spoiled on the TLC channel; I mean who knew watching Cake Boss could be so fun? I never did until now. Like I said, I’m getting spoiled with all these wonderful channels.

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