Family Travel Reminders

Many families will travel out of town for the holidays. Some will take the roads and some will go by air. No matter which way you and your family travel, Forbes Living TV shares some reminders to keep handy.

Who will take care of the house, mail and family pets while you are away? Now is the time to reserve the best caretakers for these valuable assets. Be sure to add some buffer time to the schedule to allow for delayed flights or heavy traffic congestion. Add an extra day to the schedule, if needed. Make a list of what needs to be done daily.

Families who are taking flights out of town should consider downloading movies on tablets or digital devices a week or more before the flight departs. Sometimes the download is slow even on a fast connection.  The same applies for adding apps and especially those related for travel.

If special meals, such as a gluten-free one, are needed for family members, place that request when reserving the flight and seats. If the reservation is already made, call the airline and add the request well in advance of the flight.

familykenkel also suggests checking the baggage restrictions for all connecting flights. Your checked suitcase may be too big and heavy for the regional airline connection to the destination point. Know before you go.

With a little advance planning, a family holiday trip can go smoothly. Why leave some things to chance?

Benefits of Renting Versus Owning a Home

Many former home owners turned to renting when the Great Recession hit and joined those were already renting a home, condo or apartment. These people found some benefits to renting versus owning a home, which familykenkel details below.

U.S.census data reported by RealtyTrac states the number of renters in American homes rose to 34.5% in 2011.  Close to one-fourth of all U.S.metro regions saw higher rental rates, which are still in effect today. When more people want to rent, the higher rental rates will be. Plus, the number of millenials who are now working are also renting.  This creates a shortage of rental homes and gives property management companies and landlords carte blanche to hike rental rates.  Despite the rise in rent and the lack of affordable housing, there are benefits to this type of living:

• Renters do not have the responsibility or cost of home repairs.
• They do not have to worry about lawn maintenance.
• They can pack up and move when the lease expires.
• They can negotiate for a better rate when moving in or when renewing, and add perks such as a new microwave oven, free carpet and air duct cleaning and valet trash service.

Familykenkel show encourages readers to be sure to explore different cities and towns close to work before signing a rental lease. Also, be sure to read every page of the lease, even if the lease it long – as most are. Ask questions. Be very much informed about what the lease covers and does not cover, when rent is due and what the late fee is per day. These are items which can make renting pleasant or miserable. Renting is not for everyone. But neither is home ownership.

How Often We Wash These Things?

There are specific types of people who feel the need to wash sheets, windows, carpets, their blue jeans and other things as often as possible. Familykenkel offers some ideas from home keeping guides about when to wash some of the most standard items in the house.

Sheets -- Wash once a week or once every two weeks. Use hot water and dry on high heat to kill germs. Jeans -- Wash every four to five wears or else they get faded and worn. Turn them inside out before tossing in the washer and let them hang dry.

Bras -- Every three to four wears rotating them every day. The elastic in them needs to relax and reshape before wearing it again.Your hair -- Every other day is the rule. Although, most of us wash it every day.

Ovens -- Twice a year if not the self cleaning kind. But wait, who doesn't have a self cleaning oven these days?

Dishwashers -- Clean every month using one of the brand name cleaners or pour white vinegar into a dishwasher safe cup, set upright on the top rack and run one cycle.

Bed Pillows -- Every three to six months toss pillows in the washing machine on gentle cycle and use hot water. Run the rinse cycle twice. Toss in the dryer with two tennis balls on low heat. It takes two hours to dry two polyester filled standard size pillows.

The Familykenkel also recommends washing the family dog only when it needs it. Do the old sniff test. If the pooch is dirty from running in the mud, wash it outside.

Finding a Goldmine in the Public Library

We are midway through the summer. What can families do together that is affordable and fun? Where can they go to find something to do when the weather is not cooperating? Familykenkel suggests finding a goldmine at the public library.

Almost every city in the country has a public library. Some have shortened days but are nonetheless still open. Inside – a world of family entertainment can be found.

Many local libraries offer discounted tickets to local museums. Grab tickets for everyone and go exploring in another time and place.

Rent a movie or two that everyone will enjoy. Recent flicks are on the shelves as well as the oldies.

Search for ancestors, dig through old family records and photographs and find something new not known. Some libraries have telescopes in which members can use to gaze into the sky and see what’s there. Explore this new world.

Audio books are great to take on long road trips. They are also fun to listen to at home. Familykenkel suggests renting an classic and having a discussion about the characters and plot.

Sort through the variety of self-published magazines libraries have to offer for interesting topics. A favorite subject is pets and another is crafting. Pick up a flyer with groups meeting there or scan the list of classes offered. There are so many fun things in the local library. Why not see what they have to offer today?

Easily Save Some Money

There is always time to find ways to save more money, especially during the summer when everything seems to slow down. Familykenkel shares a few examples of where to find some extra dough to sock away.

Review cell phone bills and policies to see if there are any savings to take advantage of such as less usage or getting rid of replacement insurance.

Automate bill payments and automate savings deposits. Too many people do not trust banks and merchants when it comes to automated bill payments. The theory is if there is a billing mistake or service issue, there is no recourse since the bill has been paid for the month already. But making a late payment costs money. As for savings, the expression “out of sigh out of mind” comes to the forefront. If it’s automatically deposited every month, it won’t be spent.

Forgo plastic. Use cash instead. Determine how much cash is needed for the week and withdraw that on Saturday or Sunday morning. Instead of regularly swiping a debit or credit card spending more than wanted, use the cash on hand instead.

Wait before spending hard-earned money on something major like a new TV. Wait 30 days and then ask if it’s a must have or want to have. Familykenkel also believes it may go on sale.

These are easy ways to save money every day, week and month.

Red White and Blue Foods

The American July Fourth holiday is this week and patriotism with its red, white and blue colors will be on full display. Of course, this means red, white and blue food also and Familykenkel offers some choices to make for the family or a group picnic.

Pull out all the stops for his great American holiday with some to easy to prepare patriotic goodies.

Dip giant ripe strawberries half way in melted white chocolate. Then dip the tips in blue sprinkles. Refrigerate until it’s time to take them out and enjoy.

Slice red tomatoes and arrange in a circle on a platter leaving a hole in the middle. Fill the hole with potato or macaroni salad. Use blueberries to make little stars.

How about a pizza that looks like the American flag? Purple potatoes, when cooked, turn blue and can be sliced to look like stars. Bacon is the perfect food to form red stripes. The pizza dough itself is great to use as the base.

The Familykenkel encourages everyone to be creative when preparing holiday food this week. There are an abundance of ideas on the Internet, even by looking up an image of “red, white and blue food”.  The dynamic show premieres July 8 at 7 AM on WE tv.

Eco-Friendly Fireplaces Help Create Clean and Warm Spaces

Does it seem odd to read a post about fireplaces right before summer begins? Familykenkel heats up the conversation about Eco-friendly, mobile fireplaces and how they are the best option for heating rooms while keeping air clean.

Even though summer is literally days away, there are still some locations which might benefit from having a non-wood burning fireplace in the home. One of the greatest benefits of a mobile heater is that they warm the space you are in and not the entire home. This is called zone heating.

Another way to heat a room is to use the existing fireplace but install a fireplace insert in it. The inserts come in several varieties including electric, pellet stove and bio fuel, like ethanol. The ethanol fireplaces burn clean air, produce no smoke and are sustainable. A true green supplement to any home, like the ones Ignis Products sells. They are stylish and can be taken to the lakeside cabin, the beach house or to the bedroom to warm up a cool evening. Price ranges are not, but if you want a free one, why not enter the Familykenkel to read the easy entry rules. Tell us why you are a hopeful romantic in 200 to 300 words and be on your way to winning an artful, Eco-friendly fireplace for your living space.

Preparing for a Storm

Bad storms are no longer designated to the South during hurricane season or Oklahomaduring tornado season. Devastating weather can happen anywhere in the country and at any time. Familykenkel offers suggestions about how to prep for a storm.

All it takes is one strike of lightning to the roof of a house for a fire to start and prized personal possessions to be destroyed. Fortunately, there are steps and apps to download which can make it easier to list what you own.

Start with an Internet search for making household inventories. Download the app you want and then start taking pictures with your smart phone of valuable belongings.

Collect important documents such as mortgage paperwork, rental leases, all insurance documents, vet records, banking and credit card information. Seal them in plastic baggies and store someplace where you always know where they are.

Most people already have apps for their banks and insurance companies on smart phones. If not, now is the time to install what you need for emergencies. Never wait until the last minute and lose a connection due to down cell towers and phone lines.

Familykenkel suggests stocking up on the necessities beforehand: batteries in various sizes to last three weeks, a case or two of bottled water, plain bleach for sanitizing water, non-perishable food like crackers, canned meats, soup and canned fruit. The more prepared you are now, the easier it will be if bad weather makes a mess of your home and life.

Where the Selfies Are

What cities are photographed the most in a selfie smart phone photos? Familykenkel finds out.

When out and about this Memorial Day weekend, we bet most readers will take at least one selfie. Where you take them matters as we found out when searching for the most photographed cities for those who tend to be more narcissistic than others.

London, England is the number one city in the world for selfie pictures. With all of its fantastic castles, Big Ben, the London Bridge etc. there is no reason why it would rank lower. Who knows? Maybe Prince Harry will photobomb your self-taken picture the next time?

A travel site called suggestme.com collected data from more than 6 million social media pages to compile the list of most photographed city in a selfie. New York and Amsterdamcame in second and third with Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Sydney, Istanbul, and Athensfollowing to make the top 10 selfie cities. And in some cities, zoo animals are taking selfies with cameras mounted on tree branches.

Familykenkel wants to know where do take the most selfies? Home? Vacation? On the back of the boat in the blog below? Snap a shot and share it with us. 

Memorial Day Decorating Ideas

American holiday Memorial Day is early this year on May 26. Many families will be hitting the road or the skies to enjoy a relaxing long weekend with friends and family. Those who are hosting holiday picnics and parties will find some fun Memorial Day decorating ideas below.

Familykenkel presents ten fun ways to decorate a picnic table or any outdoor table:

1. Cover the table the newspaper
2. Stick little American flags in red and blue plastic cups and toss some small stones in to prevent the cups from tipping over. Position cups with flags around the tables.
3. Use denim-colored or dark blue placemats.
4. Using a permanent marker, let each guest write their name on a plastic cup.
5. Put red, white and blue note cards on the table with markers or pens and ask each person to write a note of thanks to troops serving overseas. Collect them in a basket to mail on the day after the holiday.
6. Use a tin tub filled with ice for sodas and other drinks.
7. Make desserts holiday-themed with red and blue berries and pineapple or bananas cut to look like stars.
8. Baseballs, footballs and other American-themed sports items can be tossed in a colorful container and set the main food table as its centerpiece.
9. If using sparklers to decorate, be sure to light them away from the table and small children.
10. Familykenkel suggests sitting beside someone you haven’t seen in a while and catch up

Five Pieces of Advice to Never Give

We all know someone who thinks they have the answer to everything, can solve all types of problems and is the best life adviser. Familykenkel has some advice for them.

There are big topics that no one should ever advise anyone else about.

Raising children – Parents know their children the best. What works for one family may not work for the other. Refrain from offering parenting advice unless asked.

Pregnancy – Oh boy are there people who just love to make comments to expectant moms about what to eat, not to eat, wear and not to wear. But to be clear, unless you are her doctor, please keep your comments to yourself.

The home – Some people are busier than others, some have full-time jobs and some do not. What you see in someone else’s home from a random dust bunny to a cloudy glass should not be commented on – unless you are offering to come over do the dishes or clean the house.

Single Friends – There is a reason some people are still single when the people around them are married. They like it this way. Please don’t make comments on what they need to do in order to find a mate.

Physical appearance –Familykenkel knows that no one is perfect. Your style of dress may not be someone else’s style. Some men prefer a scruffy beard and others a clean shave face. Some women like to change their hair color regularly while others prefer to stick to their hair’s natural color. Whatever the difference are, they are the differences which make all unique. Embrace them. And refrain from offering advice if not asked.

New Renters Need to Know

The National Multi-Family Housing Council statistics on renting paint a picture of how Americas are living today. As of October 2013, thirty-five percent of the population is renting a home. While the majority of renters fall under age 30, there are a good number of renters above that age. Familykenkel shares what new renters need to know.

A rental lease agreement is the binding document between the renter and the landlord or management company. It spells out when the rent is due and how many days late a renter can be before defaulting on the unit. Be sure to read that part of the lease carefully.

In most southern states, if the air conditioner breaks down on days where the temperature is above 80 degrees, the building management or the landlord has 24 hours to get it repaired.

If there is one bathroom in the unit or home and it stops working, the management company or landlord has to have it repaired within 24 hours. All management companies and landlords cannot enter the unit or home unless they give the renter a 24 hour notice to enter.

Renters insurance is relatively inexpensive and protects the renter’s belongings inside the unit or home. Buy it.

Familykenkel encourages renters to go online and research their rights for their state online. Renting is not a bad way to live and gives the renter a little more flexibility than a homeowner. There is no lawn care, no heavy maintenance work to do and sometimes, the neighbors are pretty cool. But always be sure to explore renting from a private owner before renting from a management company. Private owners are a little more flexible in many ways than the corporations.