Money-Saving Tips for Families

Money-Saving Tips for Families

Raising a family is one of life’s greatest joys. It’s also one of the most expensive. If you’re a parent, you want to cut corners to save money however you can. Whether it’s packing lunches or taking advantage of hand-me-downs from friends and relatives, there are many small ways you can save money. Here are some more money-saving tips that can help you put money back into your own pocket to use on the things that matter most.

image:pixabay.com/en/bell-pepper-capsicum-red-569070

Food Prep

At the end of a long workday, the last thing working families want to do is come home and make a large family meal. You can save time and money by prepping your meals in advance. Taking a couple hours on the weekend to make and store larger meals in bulk can save you time throughout the week when you just want to relax and unwind after a long day.

Learn to Love Secondhand

Children grow at such a rapid rate, sometimes it can be hard to keep up with their ever-changing sizes. It can make buying clothing brand new seem silly, especially if the item will only be worn once or twice before they grow out of it. During your children’s growing years, it may make more sense to purchase their clothing second-hand, which can be significantly lower than getting them new in the store. Many people throw out perfectly good clothing, often with the tags still on it, so check your local second-hand shop to see what treasures might be waiting.

Evaluate Holidays

For families who are trying to figure out how to save money, thinking of the holidays or other events that pop up can be a stressful time. Societal pressures to entertain, buy extravagant gifts, and go all out on decorations for events can leave families feeling stressed and guilty if they don’t deliver. Instead of going all out on these events, make it well-known that you’re trying to cut costs to help your family and that you’d prefer to keep things simple. Sometimes a homemade gift can mean more than something from a store, and birthday parties at home can be just as fun as a large-scale event, while costing significantly less.

Find Low-Key Fun

Family outings don’t have to be an extravagant affair. You can find fun, frugal activities that are family-friendly just about anywhere, especially if you know where to look. Pack a picnic and head to your local state park so your family can take advantage of sun, swimming, and the outdoors. You can also designate one night of the week family game night, which gives you and your family something to look forward to and doesn’t have to cost anything.

Raising a family will always cost money, but it doesn't have to put you in the red. Using these easy tips, you can find ways for your family to have fun without the hefty price tag.

Read more...

Moving Boxes - Packing Small and Large Items is Easy

No matter how you look at it, moving can be very stressful and even complicated. It is quite tempting to simply throw all your possessions in some moving boxes and just worry about sorting the mess later. However, when you learn how to pack a carton and wooden boxes like a pro, you can save yourself a whole deal of time, money and stress.

So, we’ve compiled a list of tips that you can use to make packing small and large items easy. Keep reading this article so you can breeze through the task!

Before Anything Else…

 1.   Make sure you choose the right box and the right size. For heavier items, you must use a smaller box. When packing clothing and linen, use larger boxes. On the other hand, if you are shipping bulkier items overseas, it would be best to use wooden boxes.

2.   Make sure you fill the boxes. Fill any gaps between the items by using rolled up socks. They effectively function as padding and when you are unpacking, you can easily put them away. After all, they end up in the sock drawer.

3.   Remember to bundle the breakables. Don’t forget to wrap bowls and put the smaller bowls inside the larger ones. You should also do the same for mugs and plates. When you keep the fragile items protected with bubble wrap and you bundle them together, you can ensure that they will get to your destination in one piece.

4.   Line the boxes with towels. You can add extra padding by placing them at the bottom of each box.

 

Easy Steps in Efficient Packing

So, are you ready to make packing with moving boxes more efficient? Follow our tips below!

First Step: Gathering your Tools

It is only natural to have a disorganised house when you’re moving. When you have all your moving tools in one place where you can easily access them, you can avoid searching for them when you’re packing. If worse comes to worst, you might end up packing them in a box! Make sure you gather a pen, pencil, notebook, marker, tape, tape dispenser, scissors, labels and sharp knives on a tray. It is also useful to have your bubble wrap close to where you keep the other packing items.

Second Step: Placing Heavy Items First

When you place the heavy items last, you might end up crushing the items below it. When packing moving boxes like a pro, you have to bubble wrap the heavy items and make sure that they are placed at the bottom. Once you’ve packed the heavy items, you can now start packing the lighter possessions.

Third Step: Packing the Lightweight Items

Make sure you place a layer of bubble wrap or foam divider between the heavy objects and lighter items. Enclose the lighter items in bubble wrap and towels for padding. You can also keep similar items together. Wrap kitchen items in kitchen towels and use bath towels for bedroom and bathroom items.

Fourth Step: Wrapping up Loose Ends

For video game controllers and electrical cords, make sure to wrap them and secure them with an elastic. When moving items, the loose ends can easily get tangled and untying the knots can be quite difficult. Since cords are light in weight, they can be the last items you pack in your moving boxes. Don’t forget to pack the items from the same room together.

Fifth Step: Labelling the Boxes

The last step in packing moving boxes like a pro is properly labelling the packages. Make sure you get a thick, black marker to write the identifying information on the box. Do not forget to indicate for which room the items belong to. You should also remember to write which side is up or whether the items contained in the box are fragile. These labels will ensure that your boxes will be handled properly. As such, your belongings will get to your destination in one piece.

So, there you have it… five easy steps in packing a moving box like a professional! Keep in mind that while these are just general tips in effective packing, they might not apply to everyone. If you’re still having a difficult time packing your boxes, you can always call for help from friends or professionals!

Read more...

6 Ways to Avoid a Plumbing Disaster

If you want to do everything in your power to avoid a plumbing disaster, you should be sure to perform regular maintenance of your plumbing systems. Unfortunately even if you do everything right, emergencies happen and they rarely call ahead to warn you. Luckily there are a few things you can do to minimize the risks.

image;pixabay.com/en/plumber-handyman-repair-worker-228010

Annual Maintenance

You should hire a professional plumber at least once a year to inspect your entire plumbing system to make sure everything is working correctly. If there are little problems, they can be fixed before they turn into more expensive and potential disasters.Only a highly trained professional plumber will be able to detect and fix complicated problems that you might not have even realized were an issue.

Know When to Hire a Professional

Many home owners will avoid calling a professional plumber and try to fix problems themselves to save money. However, there are reasons when you would be better off in the long run hiring a pro. Professional plumbers have the training, skills, experience, and the right tools to fix your issue right the first time.

There could also be an underlying problem that you will not know about that if not fixed, can lead to extensive damage that will cost you a lot of money.

This plumber in Kilsyth knows how important it is to get to the bottom of a plumbing problem rather than just fixing the symptoms. “Using a thorough inspection process will ensure that a trained plumbing professional will get to the bottom of your plumbing problem and save your home from a plumbing disaster”.

It is also a good idea to know a professional plumber that has been tried and tested and found to be worthy before a plumbing emergency occurs. You don't want to have to start looking for someone you can trust while your house is flooding because of a broken pipe. It's best to be prepared ahead of time.

Watch Your Drains

You might not think that letting little things go down your kitchen sink drain can cause a problem. However, these things can accumulate and cause your pipes to become blocked. You also don't want to let cooking grease or oil get into your drains because it can harden and clog up your drain. Get rid of your grease by putting in a can or jar and then eventually in the garbage.

Don’t Ignore Noisy Water Heaters

Water heaters do often make some noise. However, if you start hearing sounds you haven’t heard before, it could be a sign that there is a problem you need to address. If you hear rumbling noises, you could have loose minerals or sediment in the tank. If this is your situation, you will need to use more gas or power to heat your water. Over time, this will shorten the life span of your water heater. The sediment needs to be dissolved, either by using a cleaner or calling a plumber to fix it for you.

Watch What You Flush

Whatever you flush down the toilet has the potential to cause a clogged pipe. The only things that should be going down your toilet are human waste and toilet paper. Even too much toilet paper can cause your toilet to overflow which is never a fun thing. Paper towels, feminine hygiene products, and baby wipes can seriously block your pipes.

Many companies sell what are called "flushable" wipes. Be careful because some news outlets have highlighted concerns from some municipalities. They report residential contamination and sewage back-ups when some of these wipes are not breaking down in the septic system.

Know Where Your Main Valve is Located

If you find a leak or overflow, it is imperative that everyone in your house know where your main water valve is and how to turn it off. It is also a good idea to shut it off when you go on vacation. When the water valve is off, you can rest assured that your house will not get flooded while you are enjoying some time off.

Unfortunately you can't stop a plumbing disaster but you can do a few things to do your best to avoid one. A good rule of thumb is make sure you don't ignore little problems, such as small leaks, as they have the potential to grow into larger problems or a plumbing disaster.

Read more...