Built to Last: The Clothes that can Stand-up to Messy Kids

Investing in kids’ clothes that are built to last is an absolute imperative for any parent. Buying low-quality, cheap clothing simply means that you’re going to eventually end up spending a fortune on replacements.

With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the children’s clothes that are really built to last, and can stand up to the ways of messy kids.

Invest in cotton

It may be tempting to save a few pounds here and there by buying poly-blend t-shirts and shirts for your children. Making such a decision is, however, a false economy.

Cotton is one of the hardest-wearing fabrics on the market, and is especially suited to messy kids who will be sliding around on the floor, pulling each other’s shirts and plastering themselves in mud.

Cotton may put a few extra pounds on your clothes shopping bill, but its hard-wearing nature ensures that it won’t tear easily and need replacing in a matter of days. 

If you’re a little short on funds to purchase cotton clothing for your kids, consider having a little spring clean, collecting up any unwanted items, like CDs or DVDs, and selling them on a website, such as Music Magpie; the extra investment will certainly pay off in the long run.

Jeans

Denim is famously hard-wearing; if it’s good enough for builders, dockers and pioneers, it’s surely good enough to stand up to messy kids.

The great thing about denim is that, due to its popularity, the cost is fairly low. A quick look around your local superstore will see you unearth some great deals, and you’ll be able to snag a decent pair of jeans for your child for only a handful of pounds. Many supermarkets even offer deals on multi-buys, making jeans an excellent trouser choice for your messy kids.

Raincoats and waterproof trousers

A day out at the park, especially in the UK, invariably involves rain. And where there’s rain, there’s mud. If you’re prepared, however, mud stains on your kids’ clothes is not something that need concern you.

In order to keep the mud stains at bay, invest in a quality raincoat and waterproof trousers. While it may be tempting to choose waterproofs that have your child’s favourite cartoon character on them, resist the urge and plump for some hard-wearing waterproofs, purchased from your local outdoor shop.

Although these waterproofs may cost a little more, they will pay for themselves in the long term, as they will offer a protective barrier to mud, dirt, paint and whatever else your kids find themselves covered in.

Homemade chic

Whatever fashion decisions you end up making on your child’s behalf, a great way to make your kid’s clothes more durable is to make a few alterations of your own.

Consider buying some stylish patches, or fabric stickers, and sewing - or sticking - them onto the elbows of your child’s jumpers, as well as the knees of their trousers. It will take a matter of minutes to make this alteration, but those few minutes could end up saving you a fortune in the long term.

5 Alternative Ways to Invest in Real Estate

It is indeed a lucrative option to invest in real estate. There is no dearth ways by which you can indeed ensure the best ways of earning manifolds like the way you have always wanted. From placing home for rent to passive investment in Real Estate, you will indeed experience some of the best ways to earn a lot of money like never before. Therefore, it necessitates you to know the 5 Alternative ways to invest in real estate.

Lower Taxes

Real estate investors are eligible for various tax incentives which can turn the fortunes in their favor. Since, it is able to allow loss to turn into profit from the money which has been saved from deductions. It usually pertains to actual cost related with financing, managing along with operating the property. 

Appreciation the market value of properties

Being the most prevalent and widely used ways of profiting of real estate, you are indeed assured of the best possible results. Since, the appreciation of the property is done on periodical basis and it happens at a faster level as compared to the market value. Therefore, you are assured of great returns with the passing of time. Great, isn’t it? 

Identify the inflation rate of the area

Prior to investing in real estate, you need to help yourself towards identifying the inflation rate of the area. The price of the home increases at par with the value of the commodities. You can equally understand in other way as well. For example, during inflation, the value of the real estate increases and so the rest. However, the cost of mortgage remains static. Thereby, you will be able to save money on the maintenance costs as there will be an immense cash flow from the rent. 

Budget the real estate investment

You can save money in couple of ways that is pre-tax and post tax positive cash flow. A pre-tax positive cash flow signifies that the income is more than expense and the second method means that the expenses are comparable more than the collected income. In such cases, thanks to tax breaks, you are able to ease yourself. Hence, it is important to budget your real estate investment so that you are able to save a big chunk of your money by equally earning profits in the process as well. 

Purchase below market value

There are property sellers who are in immediate need to get their equity out of property. Hence, in such cases, they have no other option than to let go their prized property at far below market value. The properties which are in the verge of foreclosure will indeed take far less than the actual market value. This is indeed done so that further marketing expense can be avoided. At the time of purchasing the property, as an owner you are bound to enter an equity position (your profit) in the transaction.

Finally, aforesaid are the 5 Alternative Ways to Invest in Real Estate. You will indeed be enjoying to the fullest. Hence, strengthen your finances like never before.

Author Bio:

Raj pharmacist, real estate business expert and blogger from Hyderabad has various blogs on all kind of niches which include finance-insurance and financenize

Online Coupons Can Help You Save Money

In any budget, buying food is one of your largest expenses. If you're like me your bills and expenses are not keeping up with your income. Over the last few years people have had to relearn how to stretch their money by budgeting more carefully and finding ways to get more value for their dollars.

One terrible by product of smaller food shopping budgets is, people end up purchasing cheaper more convenient foods. These foods are more processed and have lower nutritional value . As good parents you want to offer your children highly nutritious foods but it's hard when you have less money to spend. We need to learn new ways to give our children healthy foods without breaking the budget.

Have you heard about online coupons? This may be one way to solve your problem. Online coupons help those people who want to save money and time. Online coupon site Save1.com is a good place to start your coupon search. Here are the benefits of online coupons to help in your goal to save money:

• Purchasing an online coupon when you are busy can help you save money. If you are going to compare two brands of food, you will notice that they are just the same when it comes to the nutritional value. Buy the food that offers a coupon and pocket the difference. If you want to save money and the time, before you shop, surf the Internet to find online coupons.
• An online coupon can help you choose the less expensive but nutritious foods. This type of coupon is offered to promote and help people find foods that can be both nutritious and affordable.
• Online coupons allow you to purchase the same brands you always have. Saving money with coupons allows you to not have to purchase the cheaper off brands which may not be as nutritious. The makers of online coupons want to help people save money when shopping for food.
• If you thought the only way to serve healthy meals to was to spend a lot of money, coupons allow you to actually reduce the costs and stretch your weekly food shopping dollar.  With the help of online coupons you can focus more on the needs of your family and not worry so much about not being able to feed your them.

There is another benefit that online coupons can give. Many coupons offer recipe ideas that show you how to properly prepare your meals and offer tastier dinners your family will love. You can even find the best recipes that can help you lower the calories and eat more healthy.

How To Avoid Common Tax Mistakes

When you file your taxes then you need to do it with full carefulness. This is necessary to avoid unnecessary mistakes you may make. To get together your tax return you need to organize all the information. After this double check the returns to ensure that these are accurate and complete. 

When you file the tax return for the first time then you need to be more careful. The common tax mistakes you need to stay away from are: 

1. Missing Social Security Number

This is a very common error made by people while filling the tax form. Do not forget to fill your Social Security Number. IRS gets numerous tax returns every year without or with wrong attached Social Security Numbers. If you make this mistake then it would hinder to process your tax return. Entering the wrong one would lead to rejection of all the exemptions and deductions claimed by you. Moreover, any of your refunds would be put to hold and late fees can be asked for the money you owe to IRS. Double check Social Security Number of yours and your claimed dependents. Look at the Social Security cards to verify it exactly. 

2. Failing to add all the income sources

Add the documentation of your income to tax return. Add the copies of all the W-2 forms received by you in the year. Also add 1099 income as well as any miscellaneous income earned by you. If you fail to add some income received by you then it would give a negative impression about hiding something. This may make IRS have a closer look to your return. It may lead to asking for audit and additional documentation. If you do not have forms to show income from any company then contact that company immediately. Request for 1099 and W-2 from all your employers. 

3. Math errors

Lots of people file the returns manually. This increases the chances to make mathematical errors. Even a small error can make you owe a huge amount of money. If you claim too much income and too less deductions due to math errors then you can find yourself paying more taxes than otherwise. So always double check using a calculator or tax preparation software.

4. Forgetting to add payment

Always check your envelope to ensure you have put your money order or check with tax return. You can e-file as well to make payment electronically. In case you cannot pay the entire amount then you can contact IRS for making payment arrangements.

Author Bio: Leona is a content writer and writes on all the niches of this field. She elaborately covered this topic on how to avoid common tax mistakes. You can place orders of discount checks online unlimited to take care of your financial worries.

Can Spending Now Help Your Family in the Future?

Finance (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

Future financial security remains the goal of an individual during his or her working years. Many people reap the fruits of their work once they are out of employment due to retirement. Financial security must be worked upon effortlessly, but this requires a lot of dedication. To ensure that the future is even brighter, one has to make many sacrifices financially today to achieve better returns in the future. Various investments can be undertaken to help secure your future financial position. Some of them include pension schemes, mortgages, and identifying a business venture. 

Insurance and Pension Schemes

To guarantee a better future, one needs to invest in various forms of insurance. These insurances require a lot of money today, but the benefits that can be reaped from them are unimaginable. A life insurance cover is vital in ensuring that the family is well taken care of in case of occurrence of any uncertainties that may cut short a steady supply of income of the family's provider.

To get such insurance, one should be willing to spend an enormous amount of money now. Medical insurance covers that are paid today provide a common source of financial security in the future. This is because money spent today on health cover is able to cover the family even after employment. Pension schemes also enable you to secure your future financially through monthly contributions to an investment pool. These monthly contributions depend on the kind of pension plan that one is servicing. Such plans are vital in ensuring availability of sufficient money in the future.

Taking a Mortgage

Another form of spending that one can engage in now for the future benefit is taking a mortgage to own a property or home. Mortgages, especially fixed interest rates come at significantly low rates in a turbulent market. An individual can take advantage of these mortgages to take care of the future finances. One can take a mortgage to buy a home or property that becomes a significant investment for the future. Generally, the value of land and house appreciates every year. Therefore, investing in such assets is a powerful way of obtaining financial security.

This form of security can be obtained in two ways: First, one may decide to sell the property in the future at rates much higher than the initial cost and make enough money enabling them move to probably to a farm house upon retirement. The surplus cash made provides a means to financial security. Secondly, owning a home or property exempts one from many expenses such as rent. Upon retirement, one is able to live comfortably in their home and enjoy their pension without any financial strains. 

Investing in a Business

Financial future can be secured by investing in a business now so that when the future comes, one is able to reap the benefits of the business and enjoy it. However, starting a business is not such an easy task. Enough capital needs to be used to start a reasonable business venture. The business enterprise can then be taken care of to bring immense benefits in the future. Apart from the capital, a lot of money has to be used in carrying out market surveys, and feasibility studies to get a viable business idea and eventually implement it.

The investment made today could be obtained via a loan from a bank or via one's savings for the period that have been working.

In conclusion, one can easily secure his or her future finances by choosing to make investments now. Using the time value of money, one can determine the future returns by estimating the future value of the investments today. These investments require a lot of dedication and sometimes cash, but the eventual benefits outweigh initial finance challenges.

Author Bio Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles relating to the field of business. In this article he offers a few benefits of investing later in life and aims to encourage further study with an aging masters. 

Is Credit Card Debt Settlement My Best Option?

Credit card debt has become something that many American households have simply been forced to live around. The recent financial recession has caused many people to lose their jobs, home and more. However, it seems as though the silver lining has finally made it's appearance around the dark cloud. More and more people are starting to find work and become financially stable again. However, overwhelming credit card debt has caused this to be a difficult task for many. 

During their fight for financial freedom, tons of consumers have happened across a debt settlement program. Promising savings of up to 55% off of principle balances, these programs tend to catch the eye of many consumers. But, are they the great, debt relief option that they are made out to be or, do credit card debt settlement programs have a dark side? Here is a detailed break down of how credit card debt settlement programs work. At the end, I will include a few tips to help you decide if credit card debt settlement is your best option! 

How Credit Card Debt Settlement Works, Step by Step 

Step #1: Creating A Payment Plan – When consumers first enroll into a credit card debt settlement program, a representative of the company will create a repayment plan based on the amount of debt the consumer has and their ability to pay that debt. Once the consumer agrees to the new payment plan, it's time for the real work to begin. 

Step #2: Set Up A Special Purpose Savings Account – Next, the debt settlement company will set up a special purpose savings account. This savings account will be the home for your monthly payments until you have saved enough money to settle a debt. 

Step #3: Inform Lenders Of Payment Arrangements – In most cases, the debt settlement company will inform the lenders in writing of the payment arrangements that they've made with you. However, the lender is under NO OBLIGATION to accept these payment plans! Also, even if they do accept the payment plan, there is nothing that stops them from selling your debt to a collections agency that doesn't accept the plan! 

Step #4: Settling The Debts One By One – As the money in your special purpose savings account accumulates to enough to pay off each debt entirely, the debt settlement company will contact the lender and negotiate a settlement. Because the lender has been waiting for an incredibly long time for payment at this point, they feel as though they must accept less now or nothing at all later. Therefore, they are likely to accept settlements of 55%, 45% and sometimes as low as 20% of the total amount owed. 

A Few Things That Should Help You Decide If Credit Card Debt Settlement Is Best 

#1. Credit Card Debt Settlement Will Harm Your Credit Score – Because lenders are not being paid on a consistent basis as agreed, these programs have an extremely adverse effect on credit scores. Therefore, if you are considering purchasing a home, car or anything else that requires credit, this may not be the best option for you. 

#2. You Give Up The Control Of Your Debts – While in these programs, you will often have to sign a power of attorney which gives the debt settlement company 100% control of your debts. Therefore, when you choose to use a debt settlement program, you will have no say in how your debts are managed. 

#3. Credit Card Debt Settlement Is A Last Resort Option – If you are considering credit card debt settlement as a last resort option before bankruptcy, you may be on the right track. Although this is not the best option for everyone, in extreme circumstances, extreme solutions are necessary. 

Resources That Should Help You 

How To Improve Your Credit Score – This guide is a great guide to use when you are going through credit card debt settlement. It will help you to quickly improve your credit scores once the settlement process is complete. 

Better Business Bureau – When looking for a debt settlement company to work with, it's always important to check the name with the BBB first. If the company has a grade that is less than a B+ or they are not listed with the BBB at all, chances are, they are not a company you want to work with! 

About The Author – Joshua Rodriguez

This article was written by Joshua Rodriguez, proud owner and founder of CNA Finance and avid personal finance writer. Join the discussion about this article or the personal finance topic of your choice on Google+!