Author Archive: Natasha McKenna

Pricing Pets: The Cost of Pet Ownership

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From: Zoomer Magazine

If you’re looking to bring a new dog or cat into the household, here are the numbers you’ll need to factor in.

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Initial costs

All new pets require some basic necessities to get them started, including: a carrier or crate, food bowls, a bed, collar, toys, grooming needs, spaying or neutering and microchip or tattoo. Add it all up, and the total can run into hundreds of dollars.

And that doesn’t include the purchase or adoption of a pet:

– A purebred cat or dog can cost between $500 and $1200, depending on the breed.

– Adopting an animal from local shelter cost between $85 to $100 for cats, and $135 to $275 for dogs. There may be an addition $75 deposit which is refunded when you have your pet sterilized.

– “Free” pets offered through the classified often need a veterinary examine, testing and treatment for parasites and vaccinations. According to the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society, these costs could amount to hundreds of dollars. (see their Comparison Chart for more details).

So what’s the total? A guide published by the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BCSPCA) places one-time costs at $282 for cats and $340 for dogs. These estimates include shelter adoption costs, so you’ll need to add the difference if you go purchase from a breeder.

What this guide doesn’t include is other incidental expenses you might find. For instance, many new puppy parents purchase baby gates to provide safe boundaries, and go to “puppy school” to socialize and train their youngsters.

You may want to buy a book about raising your pet, or invest in additional chew toys, scratching posts and other protective measures for your carpet and furniture. Cleaning supplies are also a must, and it never hurts to have some specialty products on hand if your pet gets sprayed by a skunk.

Ongoing costs

What do you need to budget for in a typical year? Include food, routine vet check-ups, vaccinations, flea prevention, grooming and licenses. Your total costs will vary depending on the size and type of your pet. Smaller breeds of dogs and cats cost less to feed, and their smaller-sized accessories are less expensive to buy. If you take a yearly trip, you’ll need to add $15 a day for dogs and $10 for cats to your vacation budget for boarding or pet-sitting costs.

The BCSPCA places ongoing yearly costs at about $700 for a cat and $860 for a medium-sized dog. These estimates are in keeping with official data — Statistics Canada reports that pet owners spent an average of $770 on pet-related expenses in 2006. To put the numbers in perspective, that’s less than one fifth of what the average Canadian household spent on recreation, and half of what was spent on tobacco and alcohol.

There are ways to cut down costs. For example, learning to groom your pet at home will save money. Nail clipping costs $15 each visit — a savings of $90-$180 a year. You can also save money by brushing and bathing your pet at home — as much as $40 per trip.

Be wary of other cost-cutting measure. Cheaper brands of food can lead to health problems later on, and less expensive toys won’t last as long as good quality, durable products. Don’t expect “outdoor” cats to save you money on litter. You’ll need to budget more for veterinary care to deal with parasites and increased health problems, in addition to the risk of injury or death.

On average, indoor cats live twice as long as their outdoor counterparts.  Aging pets will also require more medical care, so expect that pet costs won’t be uniform throughout their lives. Veterinary medicine has made numerous advances over the past few years, so there is better disease detection and treatment options available today. It’s important to discuss with your family how far you will go to keep an aging pet happy and healthy.

Emergency care

Pets of all ages are susceptible to serious illnesses and injuries, which can quickly add up to thousands of dollars. These unexpected costs can be hard to absorb without an emergency resource. Preventative measures could be as simple as making more room in your emergency back-up fund or setting aside a lump sum.

Another option is pet insurance. Premiums range from $120 to over $500 a year, depending on the pet and level of coverage. As with any insurance policy, shop around for the best rates and features, and read the policy very closely for conditions and exclusions. Some policies only cover accidents and illnesses, not bills for routine check-ups and vaccines.

As an alternative, some experts suggest setting up a savings account or cashable investment and making regular deposits. It may not completely cover costs if an accident or illness occurs early in your pet’s life, but it might save you thousands of dollars in premiums in the long run. Your money remains in your control, and even earns a little interest in the process.

The bottom line

It’s difficult to predict the lifetime cost of owning a pet. Multiplying average yearly costs by the expected lifespan doesn’t account for the changing needs of pets as they grow up. Time commitment is also a factor, and adding a second pet doesn’t always translate to double the expenses.

However, there’s another side to this equation: the benefits. You can’t attach a dollar value to things like companionship, decreased stress levels, lower blood pressure, disease prevention and warding off depression. There’s a reason that “pet therapy” programs are popular in hospitals and long-term care facilities: Pets are good for people.

Money shouldn’t be a deterrent, but having an idea of the costs and budgeting accordingly means that neither owner nor pet will meet with any unexpected sacrifices down the road.

Sources: British Columbia SPCA, Statistics Canada: Spending Patterns in Canada 2006

Note: These figures are from Canadian sources and are quoted in Canadian dollars. To see how costs compare in the U.S., see the ASPCA website for details.

Sourced from: http://www.everythingzoomer.com/the-true-cost-of-pet-ownership/#.U80l7laWt94

3 Valuable Ways to Invest in Yourself

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By: Royale Scuderi- Lifehack

5266388a869a9c6eb1328498337e0e88Investing in yourself may be the most profitable investment you ever make. It yields not only future returns, but often a current pay-off as well. The surest way to achieve a better quality life, to be successful, productive, and satisfied is to place a priority on investing in both personal and professional growth. The effort you put into consistently investing in yourself plays a large role in determining the quality of your life now and in the future.

Investment options

1. Develop your skills

Improving your skills doesn’t always mean investing in higher education, though that’s surely an option, and perhaps a necessary one depending upon your career field. Investing in your knowledge and skills can take many forms. In addition, expanding your level of knowledge and skill isn’t limited to the business arena and doesn’t necessarily need to be formal. There are many “skill investment” avenues.

  • Advance your education –  extra classes, advanced degrees, relevant certifications, are all valuable investments. Take classes, either in person or online.
  • Utilize available training – enroll in workshops, attend conferences or participate in webinars.
  • Expand your knowledge – there’s lots of information available on nearly any subject imaginable. Read books, articles, white papers, anything related to the talent or skill you want to work on. Keep current – stay abreast of the latest trends or advancements. Subscribe to publications, read blogs of experts, and follow the latest news.

2. Explore your creative side

There is a fountain of creativity within most of us that has never been tapped or certainly hasn’t been used to its highest potential. We may need to unearth, and hone our individual creativity. Creativity, in any form, helps us to grow personally and professionally, to view problems and solutions in different ways and to utilize other parts of our mind that may have been previously untapped. It’s important to keep in mind that creativity has many faces. It’s far broader than being a painter or sculptor; it’s also about trying new things.

  • Learn a new language –  take a class or use language training software
  • Try gourmet cooking – enroll in a formal class, by a new cookbook, or ask someone you know who enjoys cooking in a different way.
  • write something – a book, short stories, poetry, anything
  • Explore the outside world – try gardening, bird watching, or landscape photography
  • Enjoy music – play an instrument, learn a new one or join a music group of some kind.
  • Create something tangible – paint, sculpt, make pottery, make jewelry or design your own clothes.

Choose some form of activity that you have never tried, haven’t practiced in years, or have never explored fully.

3. Nurture your mind and body

Nurturing both your mind and body allows you to have more to give now and  in the future, more energy, more knowledge, more compassion, more ideas, greater strength, physical and mental endurance.

Expand your mind. Learning new things and keeping your mind active even in simple ways helps to grow and maintain your mental ability.

  • Read – anything and everything
  • Explore culture – attend performances, listen to different style of music, travel, or join an organization or group comprised of people from different backgrounds.
  • Open your mind – engage in conversations with those who disagree with you. Look at an argument and try to make a case for the opposing point of view.
  • Keep your mind active – play word games, (yes, even Words with Friends counts,) board games that include strategy, or try using your brain to perform simple calculations rather than relying on a calculator.

Care for your body. Your body is like a well-oiled machine. If you care for it in the way that you might maintain an expensive car, it will perform marvelously and last for a very long time. Remember the basics:

  • Give it high quality fuel –translation: make healthy food choices as often as possible. What you eat does play a large role in your energy and ability to perform. You truly are what you eat.
  • Don’t push it too hard – translation: rest and relax often, slow down and don’t overload your system. Also, don’t shift gears too quickly; it causes stress and damage to “your machine,” A.K.A. your body.
  • Get regular and necessary maintenance – translation: go to the doctor when your sick – don’t put it off until you totally break down. Better yet, use preventative maintenance; get check-ups, take appropriate vitamins and pay attention to irregular or erratic behavior.
  • Polish the exterior – translation: take care of the outside too. Many people dismiss this as frivolous and self-indulgent, but it’s not, as long as you don’t go overboard. We’re not talking about facelifts and Botox, we’re talking about getting a fabulous haircut, and wearing clothes that make you feel confident and attractive.

Investing in yourself truly makes a difference in your life, your well-being, and your ability to thrive and perform to the best of your ability. The extent to which you invest in yourself, mind and body, not only shapes the way you interact with the outside world, it often reflects the opinion you have of yourself. Your future is in large part determined by your willingness and ability to invest in yourself now.

Sourced from: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/3-valuable-ways-to-invest-in-yourself.html

Saving & Investing

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By: Gail Vaz Oxlade

CORBIS1-00030810-001A lot of the language around money is incredibly confusing to most people. It’s no wonder our savings rate is in the dumper. People are confused.

I’m not just talking about things acronyms like TIPS and TIGRS, I’m talking about words as straight-forward as “saving” and “investing”.

Let’s look at the word “saving.” If you go shopping and something usually costs $50, but you pay only $25, you’ve just saved 50% or $25. Really, that’s what you saved (the verb). Except you actually don’t have anything to show for it, because what you did was Not Spend $25. Now, if you took the $25 you did not spent and put it away to grow on your behalf, THAT would be “savings” (the noun.)

In fact, if you put that $25 you “saved” into a High Interest Account and started earning interest on it, that money would, in fact, be “invested.”

Investing means putting your money to work for you. If you stick it under your mattress and it earns you nothing, it’s saved, but not invested. If you stick it in a stupid account that pays you just 0.25% interest it’s invested, although you could probably do better.

There are loads of ways to invest. You can stick with the tried and true savings account, tie the money up a little longer in a GIC, or buy a bond. You can look to the stock market and choose individual shares of companies you feel have promise. Or you can decide to diversify by using a mutual fund to spread your eggs over several baskets. Or maybe you’ll just “buy the index” and go with the flow.

Each of these “investment options” or “investment vehicles” is just a different way to put your money to work. Each has positives and negatives. If you’re an “investor”, it’s all about finding ways to put your money to work so it earns you more money.

Investing isn’t always easy to do, particularly when you’re looking for higher rates of return. It takes research, analysis and hard work. You only put your money down once you’re pretty sure that there’s a reasonable expectation of profit. The risk isn’t completely gone, but you’ve done enough digging to know exactly what those risks are and what to watch for so you’ll know when it’s time to sell your investment.

Saving, on the other hand, is easy-peasy. All you have to do is NOT spend. Then take that money you did not spend and pile it up so you’ll have it for later. Like I said, easy-peasy.

Sourced from: http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/?p=5882

Tips For Investing In A Healthy Relationship

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By: Christina Campbell, Family Service PEI

99Everyone’s relationship is unique, and people come together for many different reasons. A strong, healthy relationship can be one of the best supports in your life. Most of us have to work consciously to master the skills necessary to make our relationship flourish.

There are some things that good relationships have in common. Knowing the basic principles of healthy relationships helps keep them meaningful, fulfilling and exciting in both happy times and sad:

  • Staying involved with each other. Some couples are not truly related or emotionally connected, but manage to work together. Therefore, while it may seem stable on the surface, lack of involvement and communication increases distance. When you need to talk about something important, the connection and understanding may no longer be there.
  • Getting through conflict. The key in a strong relationship is not to be fearful of conflict. You need to be safe to express things that bother you without fear of retaliation, and be able to resolve conflict without humiliation, or insisting on being right.
  • Keeping outside relationships and interests alive. No one person can meet all of our needs, and expecting too much from someone can put a lot of unhealthy pressure on a relationship. Having friends and outside interests not only strengthens your social network, but brings new insights and stimulation to the relationship.
  • Communicating. Good communication is a fundamental part of a healthy relationship. Honest, direct communication is a key part of any relationship. When both people feel comfortable expressing their needs, fears, and desires, trust and bonds are strengthened. Non verbal cues—body language like eye contact, leaning forward or away, or touching someone’s arm—are critical to communication.
  • Mutual respect. Respect in a relationship means that each person values who the other is and understands — and would never challenge — the other person’s boundaries.
  • Keep physical intimacy alive. While touch is a key part of a healthy relationship, it’s important to take some time to find out what your partner really likes. Unwanted touching or inappropriate overtures can make the other person tense up and retreat—exactly what you don’t want
  • Spend quality time together. It’s critical for your relationship to make time for yourselves. If you don’t have quality time, communication and understanding start to erode. Keeping a sense of humor can actually help you get through tough times, reduce stress, and helps you work through issues more easily.
  • Healthy relationships are built on give and take. It takes work on each person’s part to make sure that there is a reasonable exchange and compromise.
  • Respectfully resolve conflict. Conflict is inevitable in any relationship, but to keep a relationship strong, both people need to feel they’ve been heard. The goal is not to win but to resolve the matter with respect and love.
  • Expect ups and downs. It’s also important to recognize that there are ups and downs in every relationship. You won’t always be on the same page. Different people cope with stress differently, and misunderstanding can rapidly turn to frustration and anger.

A healthy relationship requires more than some give and take, and it is absolutely within your reach if you and your partner are willing to do a bit of work. If you and your partner have decided that you want to live together and that you are right for each other, all the work will definitely be worth it in the long run.

How Do I Budget And Save For A Vacation?

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By: GetSmarterAboutMoney

CORBIS1-00030810-001Saving just $20 a week can add up over a year to a nice vacation fund.

Three tips to create your vacation budget

Many people pay for vacations using a credit card. But if you don’t pay off those bills quickly, you’ll end up paying a lot more for your fun. A trip that might cost $1,000 at the start could end up costing you a whole lot more if you add on interest charges. You could end up paying the cost of two trips but only get to enjoy one!

Here are three tips to help you save and plan ahead:

Save money throughout the year. If you have a monthly budget – and hopefully you do – you can set a target savings goal. That way you’ll have a really good idea of how much you can afford to spend when it’s time to book your vacation.

As you start to dream about your vacation, set up a budget. Make categories for each of the different costs you’ll have to pay. This includes travel, accommodation, food and entertainment. Estimate the amount you’ll spend on each.

Now go over your vacation budget and look for ways to trim costs. For example, you may be able to save on airfare and hotels if you book early. But sometimes the best deals are available last minute. Also look for ways to reduce the cost of your accommodation. This includes rentals and timeshares. Learn more now about cost-saving ideas when you travel.

A word of caution: be wary of special offers that come to you from a person or company you don’t know. Or, where there is a lot of pressure on you to decide on the spot – without time for proper research. It could be a vacation scam. Learn more now about how to spot a vacation scam.

Remember: Don’t use your credit card to pay for your vacation – unless you know you have the money to pay it off. If you don’t save up the cash before the trip, how likely are you to save it after?

Sourced from: http://www.getsmarteraboutmoney.ca/en/managing-your-money/planning/budgeting/Pages/how-do-I-budget-and-save-for-a-vacation.aspx#.U5B8qBaWt94

Holiday Family Travel Insurance: Why Everyone Should Be Covered

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By: ParentsCanada  

FANCY-00044406-001The holidays are one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Though you may be dreaming of a relaxing getaway, planning a family vacation during this time can easily turn stressful if you’re not prepared. From coordinating tickets and packing lists to airplane boredom blockers, one necessary item that shouldn’t be overlooked is travel insurance. Whether you and your family are traveling within Canada to visit the extended family or taking a trip overseas for an annual vacation, different types of trips require different types of coverage.
RSA, Canada’s leading travel insurance provider has a wide variety of affordable travel insurance packages for any type of trip as well as some tips for Canadian families before departing on their holiday trip.
Make health and safety your priorityTravelling families should always put their health and wellbeing first. Vacations are a break from routine but not from sensible practices. Whether travelling by air or car, you should:

  • Confirm well in advance if any inoculations or medications are needed before visiting the destination
  • Check for government issued travel advisories for the country or region you are planning to visit
  • Carry sufficient prescription medication and allergy treatments for your kids in your carry-on luggage so it’s easily accessible
  • If driving, check weather and road conditions and listen to local advisories
  • Share travel and destination information with loved ones in the event an emergency arises

Have key documents with you at all times

When travelling outside of the country there are key documentations Canadians should not leave without.

  • A valid passport is needed for all travellers, including children and infants, with limited exceptions for children under 16 crossing at land border points
  • Additionally, Canadian children need appropriate documentation to travel abroad when taking a trip alone or with only one parent, such as a consent letter, birth certificate or citizenship card. Check destination requirements before departing.
  • If travelling outside your home province, carry provincial health cards and drivers licenses.

Visit rsagroup.ca to learn more about how you can be prepared to travel with your family.

Sourced from: http://www.parentscanada.com/family-life/holiday-family-travel-insurance-why-everyone-should-be-covered

Family Fun at Avonlea Village

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By: Fighting To Be Frugal

Everyone who seems to come to PEI, comes to see Anne. I have lived here for 15 years and have never gone to anything Anne. It’s so experience. It’s around $65 for a family pass for the day to Avonlea Village. With a CAA card you save an extra 10%. That gave me a little hope to try to rationalize going for a day with our family. After searching around their site that  I found out that your day pass counts for a second day admission so that you are able to enjoy all of the events! 2 days for 1 price. That sounds a little more worth while to me.

However, it’s still a little expensive for us. Well, from September 1-19, the rate gets substantially cheaper! It’s $6 per adult and children under 12 are free. That means instead of $65 for my family it would be $10.80 for my family (remember, the CAA discount, even without it, it’s still only $12 for a family).

Totally worth it to wait until September to be able to enjoy the wonderful village of Avonlea and live life with Anne and Diana for a day.September is the most frugal time to visit PEI if you’re looking to save money on your vacation.What are your favourite attractions on PEI?

Sourced from: http://fightingtobefrugal.blogspot.ca/2011/08/avonlea-village-pei.htmlEnjoy your day!

Have a Kid- Free Vacation (And Leave the Guilt at Home)

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The case for why every couple should take a trip or vacation without their kids.

By: Vivian Vassos

99We love being with our kids. We really do. So much so that every vacation over the past seven years has been with them. We’ve ridden elephants in Thailand, snorkelled in the Cayman Islands and snacked on souvlaki in Greece with our kids, plus yearly jaunts to Florida — and not just to see Mickey Mouse.

Of course, we also take “date nights,” facilitated by my parents, whom I call the Blessed Support Unit (or BSU); grandparents who are eager and able to help out.

It’s usually a once-a-month Saturday night sleepover at the BSU’s for the kids, and dinner and a movie and some take-the-phone-off-the-hook intimacy for us. But a real change of scenery for more than one night, just the two of us? We hadn’t done that since our 10th, yes, 10th wedding anniversary, and now our 17th was looming. Something was definitely missing.

“On a scale of one to 10, getting away for couple time is a 15-plus in importance,” says Marion Goertz, a registered marriage and family therapist in Toronto. “We all have so many roles to play, professionally and personally, that the spontaneous, playful parts of us can get lost and tired.”

“A regular date night is critical for any marriage, but getting away for longer periods is a unique and individual issue without an exact answer,” adds Elizabeth Pantley, parenting expert and the author of eight books, including the award-winning The No-Cry Discipline Solution (McGraw-Hill).

When I caught up with the mother of four, she was fresh off a cruise with her hubby of 25 years, while their kids were safe and sound under grandma’s care. “Couples who find time to connect every day and with a regular date night may get on perfectly fine without a longer trip away. Others find themselves so surrounded by work, children and household tasks that they never seem to feel like a couple any more. Those people would definitely benefit from a short trip alone once or twice a year.” In her book, Kid Cooperation (New Harbinger), Pantley reinforces this. “It can be very difficult for your marriage to thrive if you spend all your time being “Mommy’ and “Daddy.’ You need to spend regular time as “Husband’ and “Wife.”

Okay, so it’s either another date night or try to get away for a longer time. What about the caregiver logistics? Even our BSU has its limitations, and I have quite a few friends who don’t even have that. “Even an overnight away can refresh and rejuvenate your relationship,” says Pantley. “This is often do-able if you are close with another couple who have children. Trading off and tending to each other’s children can be fun for the kids and good for the adults.”

Goertz takes it a step further. “Getting away is like getting a lungful of oxygen at the surface of a teeming river that is our life as parents — sucking up some life-giving respite before we resume the everyday busy-ness of our lives,” she says. “A self-imposed “time out’ can ensure good behaviour in adults. It can keep us going with more energy and creativity and keep us connected with the bigger world in order to refresh our perspectives.” Wow, perhaps that’s what was missing.

We knew that a week during the school year was out of the question, so we needed somewhere we could recharge and feel like we’d been away long enough, but not so long as to completely abuse the BSU? Hubby loves his monthly Texas Hold’em boys’ night out, while I’m a shopaholic, and we both appreciate fine cuisine. Put it together, and we came up with Las Vegas. Four days over a weekend, so the BSU didn’t have to worry too much about school and homework. Perfect.

The next step was telling the kids. “We’re going to Las Vegas,” I announced over dinner one night. My 10-year-old immediately went to pack her bag. “But only Mom and Dad are going,” I explained, feeling guilty already, and trying to figure out what to say next. “Parents can often overcompensate for what they feel guilty about,” says Pantley. “Know in your heart that taking care of your marriage is the most important thing you can do for your children and yourselves. A very simple answer is all that’s needed: “We love you very much and we have fun with you, but sometimes moms and dads like to have a little time alone together.”

When I retold the scenario for Goertz, she laughed. “Do your kids a favour. Love your spouse and let them see it! Talk about mom and dad having special time together and make it happen regularly. This can, in fact, help kids feel safe and warm, even if they giggle or roll their eyes.” Even teenagers, despite their reactions, she adds, take delight in their parents’ overt shows of affection and will more likely choose a relationship like it for themselves when it’s their turn.

New parents, this one’s for you: Goertz recommends beginning at an early age to establish increasing periods of time of separation with qualified caregivers. “Teach them, by your own attitudes and from an early age, to be open to adventure and new experiences,” she says.

“If you find a familiar, loving caregiver to tend your children, they should be fine,” says Pantley. “If you want to add more fun to their “vacation,’ allow them to order pizza, rent a movie or have a candy or treat that is reserved for special times.” For longer trips, she suggests leaving a small gift (such as stickers or plastic toy animals) for each night that you will be away. “This can make bedtime fun instead of the most difficult hour for the child and caregiver.”

Spend some time with the child in the caregiver’s presence, prior to your time away, suggests Goertz, to assess their suitability and to allow you and your child to be soothed by your trust in this person. “And relax and don’t unduly disrupt routines to soothe your own separation anxiety.” Then just go. “There’s a delightful, refreshing silliness that can set in when two responsible adults can eat, sleep, drink and frolic as the spirit moves them,” she notes.

Well, Goertz was right. We were free to do our favourite things and spend some wonderful private moments together, without the day-to-day stress of being parents, and the kids were spoiled rotten by the BSU. Heck, we even considered renewing our vows in the land of cheesy wedding chapels, never mind booking another trip for next year. Viva Las Vegas.

Toronto-based writer/editor Vivian Vassos is planning her next getaway to Vegas—this time with kids. She has already booked a date night with hubby at the MGM Grand, as her brother (BSU#2) now conveniently lives in Sin City.

Long weekend getaways

  • For high rollers: Las Vegas is a quick flight from Vancouver or Calgary, and everything’s within walking distance on the strip, so no worries about indulging in that extra glass of champagne. visitlasvegas.com
  • For cosmopolitan types: Quebec City, Canada’s most romantic spot, is celebrating its 400th anniversary. quebecregion.com. Book into Auberge Saint-Antoine, Travel + Leisure’s pick of one of 2007′s Top 100 Hotels Worldwide. saint-antoine.com
  • For oenophiles: Niagara-on-the-Lake is within driving distance of Toronto, full of historical charm and hotels at all price ranges, and near many of Canada’s top wineries. niagaraonthelake.com
  • For the fly-and-fry types: The Bahamas are easy to get to from central and eastern Canada, and are the Caribbean’s answer for some fun in the sun.bahamas.com
  • For big-city types: New York, is a good place to see and do a lot in a short amount of time, and you can walk, in good weather, just about anywhere. nycvisit.com

Can’t get away?

Here are Marion Goertz’s tips for making the most of a moment

  • It’s not the quantity, it’s the quality Parents with minimal childcare support can perhaps swap babysitting with trusted friends or neighbours to free them up for dinner and a movie.
  • No babysitter? Be creative and find a pocket of peace to meet for breakfast or lunch when the kids are at school, or a few hours at home with a rental, a favourite snack and an adult-type beverage once the kids are in bed.
  • Get kids to bed at a realistic time 10 p.m. is too late for preschool kids and unfair to mom and dad. They are creatures of habit: a bath, a story and lights out! Only then can mom and dad suspend their parenting roles, at least temporarily, as they catch up with each other’s lives and talk about hopes and dreams for now and the future.
  • Enjoy each other Start to work on the life you want to have together after the kids leave home, time to have many more adventures. The chances of it being a good time, and the marriage even lasting that long, increases exponentially the more you stay connected and invested in each other’s lives through the parenting years.

Sourced from: http://www.canadianfamily.ca/parents/relationships/escape-artists/

Focus Group Sessions

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We need your input! What do older adults need to protect themselves financially as they age? Come join one of our focus group sessions and give your input. For more information, please click on the picture.

5 Money Issues Families Never Talk About

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Avoiding sensitive issues can lead to big trouble down the line.

By: By Richard Eisenberg

Sensitive Subjects

Why do we have such a hard time talking with our children about important financial matters affecting the entire family? For some of us, avoiding sensitive discussions, especially about money, is a family tradition. For others, there’s concern that bringing up financial worries will harm our relationships with our children and grandchildren. The following slides focus on five money issues no one likes to talk about, but should, and sooner than later.

Managing Hard Times

Given the ongoing economic slump, there should be no stigma in telling your children that your finances aren’t as secure as they once were. If you’re having trouble handling expenses, don’t expect your kids to figure that out from subtle signs, like saying you’ll take the bus for your next visit, not a plane.

Instead, advises financial planner Jonathan Pond, author of Safe Money in Tough Times (McGraw-Hill), talk frankly about how you’re struggling. If you need some temporary help, and they can afford to lend a hand, ask. It’s better to be open about your financial situation with family than to agonize internally about it, or worse, to keep it a secret until you’re really facing a crisis.

Dividing Your Estate

Financial advisers say it’s generally best to divide your estate equally among your adult children. But if that’s not your plan, talk with your kids about it now to avoid unpleasant surprises later.

Say you have two children, one wealthy and one with a fairly low income. If you know the wealthy child won’t need the inheritance money, but her brother could truly use it, “have a detailed conversation about this with the child who will get the lesser share,” says financial planner Stewart Welch of Birmingham, Ala. If you can’t bring yourself to divide your estate unevenly, “go to the well-off child and say, ‘Your brother needs help, so please watch over him,'” Welch says.

Making Residential Plans

As a group, grandparents are living longer than ever before. That’s why you and your children should talk now about where you’ll want to live if you wind up needing help with daily activities — and how you imagine paying for it.

Families need to have “the dreaded nursing-home talk,” Pond says, “in rational times.” Start the conversation in your 60s or early 70s and be candid with your kids about when you’d want to move. If you wait too long to make decisions and adjust your finances, you may find yourself in a bind when the time comes and neither you nor your kids have the savings to help you make the transition.

Getting Paid for Child Care

Maybe you’ve generously watched your grandkids four or five days a week without pay so their parents can work without having to pay for child care. But if you’re starting to feel some financial pressure, it may be time to talk candidly about getting paid for your efforts. Dick Edwards, author of Mom, Dad … Can We Talk? (Wheatmark), suggests that you collect three bids for local or in-home daycare, “then tell your child that you’ll watch the grandchildren for 50 percent of what they’d have to pay someone else. This puts the kids on notice that you can provide them with child care at a discount, but not for free.”

Getting Scammed

Have you been the victim of a fraud, or think you might be about to become one? You’re hardly alone. Scam artists frequently prey on trusting people; the so-called “grandparent scam” alone has roped in numerous otherwise savvy couples.

If you’ve been cheated, or worry that you may be the victim of identity theft, discuss it with your children and work together to find out if and how badly you’ve been taken, and what action, if any, you can take. “Your child is the best second opinion you can get if you are skeptical of something that someone is trying to sell you, or if you feel you are the victim of a scam,” Pond says.

 

Sourced from: http://www.grandparents.com/money-and-work/family-finance/5-family-money-issues-in-relationships