Beverage Alternatives to Diet Soda

It is a common misconception that diet sodas will help people lose weight. While the drinks may not contain sugar, the sugar substitute is not much better. In fact, it can lead some to think that they might not be contributing to obesity by drinking a diet soda. Forbes Living TV offers some beverage alternatives which are better for us.

Drink water. It is a natural hydrator. It is usually free or sold in bottles at a very low price. It is portable, can be recapped to prevent spilling when moving and can be flavored.

Sugar-free juices are another good alternative. Some contain extra vitamins and minerals to improve overall health. And most do not cost too much. They are usually sold in boxes or small cartons.

Green tea comes in a several forms and different taste varieties to please most taste buds. Drink it cold from a can or bottle, or make it hot and add honey to naturally sweeten it up.

Sparkling flavored water will give carbonated beverage lovers the bubbly they desire with no added artificial ingredients. Tonic water flavored with strawberry slices and lemon or lime adds flavor and zip to the drink.

As the weather becomes cooler and heaters come on, familykenkel recommends readers stay hydrated all year long.  Kick the diet soda addiction out in the cold with the above ideas or tell us yours.

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.

The Powerball is Yours – Now What?

It is hard to resist playing the lottery and powerball lottery when the jackpots are high. Now let’s image that you wake up Sunday morning and check your tickets to see if you won and learn that you won it all. Now what?

Keep in mind that about 70 percent of lottery winners end up broke. We are assuming you filled out the back of the tickets and contacted the state lottery to let them know you won.

• Make copies of the ticket and secure it in a safe place.
• Ask friends and relatives for the name of a good financial advisor. This person should not be someone who will agree with you about investments of charitable giving.
• Start making investment so you will be paid every month until the day you die. If not, it is likely you might spend all of your money on yourself and everyone else before making the life change to the other side.
• Take time to think about what you want to do with all that money. Generally speaking, younger winners spend it all and soon are back to living paycheck to paycheck. Older winners do not. Familykenkel suggests talking it over with a trusted person in your life. Write the plan down.
• Be careful. Don’t trust everyone you know who suddenly wants to be your new best friend/financial advisor.
• Find something meaningful to do with your life. Go overseas and volunteer. Stay in the States and volunteer. Buy land and start your own private dog park.

Save Money on Back to School Needs

You know it’s almost time to go back to school when the sales start, discount codes arrive in email and school uniforms are on store racks. Familykenkel shares some tips on how to save money on back to school needs.

Shop early. Even if the school district has not sent out a list of needed supplies for the year, hit the discount stores early for the widest variety and the best prices.  Stock up.

If your state offers a tax-free weekend on school supplies, wait until then to stock up.

Do your kids need some cool new duds to start the school year? Go online and check out some of the fashion resale stores like thredup.com and moxiejean.com. Cool styles can be found for less than the department or boutique stores charge.

TheFamilykenkel also uses smart phone apps for favorite stores to find special sales, coupons and discount codes for back to school items.  

True fashionistas though will find creative ways to re-purpose clothing from previous seasons. Fashion is evolving and will come full circle with some modifications. Take advantage of scarves, hats, leggings and other ways to turn some cast-offs into something very cool. There are a myriad of ways to save money on back to school needs. Use all of them!

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.

Who Has Boomerang Kids at Home?

The Recession sent many college graduates and older adults back home to their parents’ house to live after not finding a job or losing one. These so-called “Boomerang Kids” can be a helpful addition to the household.  Familykenkel acknowledges what they can bring to the kitchen table.

When times get tough, some head back to the safety and security of their childhood home. This can leave parents feeling like the new freedom of having no children around is cramping their style. But if a few guidelines are set and followed, the new living situation will be beneficial to everyone involved.

Will rent be charged to stay in the house? How much will it be and when will it be paid?

The grown child does their own laundry.

The grown child can pitch in to buy food for meals, help prepare them and clean up afterward.

Is the grown child looking for work? Will the grown child take a part-time job to help pay some expenses?

The house rules should clearly indicate if there any curfews and how many guests the grown child can invite over.

Household duties should be divided equally to include the grown child.

TheFamilykenkel understands that it’s hard for both parents and child to live together again. If all parties work together to live in peace, then the new arrangement will benefit everyone. Parents can help boomerang kids in preparing a monthly budget to pay off credit card bills and student loans, as well as still being able to afford gas for the car and food for meals. Kids can help take the pressure off of their parents by offering to do yard work, take care of their rooms and the rest of the house, and be available if needed. Who has boomerang kids at home? How do you manage the living arrangement?

Avoid Cell Cramming Charges

Cell phone users may find some line items on their monthly bills which do not look right or are small in cost.  Some of these charges are “cramming” charges that the provider adds to the bill seemingly without the customer’s permission. Familykenkel has some info on how to avoid cell phone cramming charges.

Cramming is the practice of placing misleading or unauthorized charges on a consumer's cell phone bill. These charges used to show up on landline phone bills. Now they are showing up on cell bills. So what can one do to avoid getting them and how does one get rid of them?

• Read the bill closely every time when it arrives and even if the bill is paid directly from another account.
• Read the fine print carefully before signing up for any cell service.
• Don’t enter cell phone numbers online unless it is with a known, respected company.
• If a charge is on the bill for something not recognizable, call the carrier right away. Don’t wait because some companies have a short window for refunds.
• Ask the carrier if it has a blocking service for cramming. It should be free.
• Pay attention to the smaller charges. Most crammers try to go for the $1.99 to $2.99 charges. Refute these and insist on a credit on the next bill if already paid.
• Still getting charged by crammers and not getting help from the cell provider? File a formal complaint with the FCC.
• Familykenkel suggests prepaid phone users keep an eye on their minutes. If there are cramming charges, they will deducted from the total minutes per month.

Go online and review the bill before the next billing cycle. This is the best time to do it.

Clean Up Your Credit Report

There are literally hundreds of articles on the Internet on how to clean a messy credit report. What makes this one different is that you can do it yourself, without paying an agency a fee, and keep on top of it at the same time. Familykenkel shares how to clean up your credit report –yourself.

It takes time and effort but the end results will show on your credit scores.

• Order your free credit reports online. Order one each per quarter and not all at once.
• Save and print the report.
• Examine everything on it from previous home addresses, SSN, past jobs, and credit cards for inaccuracies.
• Determine how old the item is. If it is a credit charge, it should not be more than 7 years old. Bankruptcies stay on for 10. If you find items older than this on the report, put a check mark beside them.
• Dispute any incorrect information on the report with the crediting agency (such as Mastercard) or with the Fair Credit Reporting Agency. You can find it online while in the report or enter the agency name in the location bar and file it that way.

Most of the time, these tactics do work. Familykenkel recognizes that it feels good to handle this yourself and get the results you desire. Sometime the underdog wins and when that happens, we all win.

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.

Why Stay At Home Dads are Valuable

The economy has left many dads out of work and those that are seem to have taken over the household duties their wives once had. But a recent study found that only eight percent of American households approved this kind of arrangement. Familykenkel explains why stay at home dads are valuable.

In today’s world, children of all ages should see that both men and women can take over the household duties and do it for the better good of the family. Stay at home dads are cooler than stay at home moms because, well, they are dads.  They are good at handy man stuff, can be creative when cooking and do not become unhinged if the carpet is not vacuumed or the dishes not done. They can take freelance writing gigs and blog about their experience at home. They enlighten people with their insight about the same things women usually gripe about. They seem to see more into the female psyche than the sisterhood does. Familykenkel calls the stay at home dads out and thanks them for everything they do. It can’t be easy to be the one seen in the car pool lane, at the grocery store at 10 AM or taking part in a “mommy and me” play group on a daily or weekly basis.  Yet, men are doing this every day. There are roughly 2 million stay at home dads in the U.S.A. These men are probably doing a better job being a stay at home dad than most of us will ever know. Thanks!

Dressing the Men

Women love to shop and shopping is more rewarding when they can find the most dashing outfit for the men in their lives. Familykenkel offers some ideas for dressing the men – part one of four – chambray for any occasion.

Who is that guy? Is he an outdoorsman who loves to hike, fish or surf and later stay home with a few good flicks and you?

Or is he the kind of man who can handle a rough game of football with friends and clean up so nicely afterward that the only choice is to take him out and show him off?

No matter what kind of man he is, there is something stylish and sexy in chambray available this fashion season for the main dude in your life. Just pick your style and price point threshold.

Chambray is a lightweight and lighter colored denim that looks awesome on almost everyone. Men, especially, look ruggedly handsome in it. Chambray shirts are available from the more affordable retailers like Old Navy to the tonier ones like Polo Ralph Lauren. And they are available in a variety of styles from dress shirt to sporty. The priciest one we saw is selling for $450.00. A more affordable shirt in the same dress shirt style is below and sells for $29.00. (And we thought the margin was monstrous for women’s fashion.) Familykenkel suggests finding a cool chambray shirt in the style that fits your man the best.

Affordable Summer Fun Activities for Kids

Summer is near and that means that school will be out soon. Parents can find a bunch of affordable summer fun ideas for kids right here from Familykenkel.

When school ends, children have more time on their hands to get into mischief and mayhem. Why not keep them busy and active? Below are some ideas found on the web and from the writer’s childhood.

Summer day camps are run by school systems, non-profit organizations and specialty groups. Ask the child what they’re interested in and find a program which fits their likes. Many cities offer affordable options for the public.

City and county libraries offer movie afternoons, reading groups and special guests. Introduce a child to the library, get them their own library card and they are on their way to endless adventures which cost nothing more than the price of the card.

Public swimming pools usually offer family passes which are discounted and are good all summer long. Buy one for the family.

Hit the beach, take the kids out for a nature hike in the area and enjoy a picnic afterwards.

There are also cool things to do at home like make some arts and crafts, play in water sprinklers, and the one thing moms love the most – quiet hour. Send kids to their rooms for one hour of peace and quiet to read or nap. Familykenkel suggests readers start today to find something entertaining and active for children of all ages to do this summer.

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.