Smart Mommies Are Thrifty

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

Everything nowadays is expensive and if moms who work on the budget won't opt for the cheaper picks it's not going to be so easy to get everything.  Of course we always want to get the best of what we can give to our family most especially our babies and kids, being practical still is an option.  There are many ways on how to cut down costs and still get the same old things we love and need to have.  A mom knows best that's why I try to make ends meet to survive in this recession time and still be able to provide well for the family.

Living by the basics is one good way of cutting down costs but sometimes we really have to get things like mobile phone service, in which can be a big drainer if you get hooked on expensive monthly bills and long term contracts.  I find it more practical to use pay as you go than fixed contracts but in any case that a good offer like what Straight Talk has, there's no reason not to grab that chance for a switch.  

Imagine how much savings you can have with the "All You Need Plan" or Unlimited monthly which only costs $45 for unlimited calls, texts, mms and web.  A whole year's unlimited service can only cost you $499.00 with free activation, reactivation and termination fees,  everything you need including 411 calls at no extra charge and international long distance services at low rates.  With Straight Talk you won't feel the hold back to call a friend because of the high phone charges that will go with it.  Phones come in basic features for as low as $10.00 and smart phones from trusted phone manufacturers like LG, Motorola, Kyocera, Nokia and Samsung for a higher price but still more affordable than others.

Tracfone For The Kids

This post brought to you by TracFone. All opinions are 100% mine.

What does real TracFone customers have about Tracfone?  Check out these videos and see for yourself!  

When considering a phone you normally look for so many features but not all phones and service providers fulfill this part.    TracFone on the other hand is very ideal for the kids because there are no contracts, no credit checks needed, no activation charges and not even cancellation fees.  It has more affordable rates for kids to be able to keep in touch with their parents.  TracFone guarantees excellent connectivity and reception nationwide.  Your kids might be out and about for their Summer Camp activities but they are like close to home with Tracfone.  You can always check on them or the kids can always keep you posted whatever's happening from afar.  They can also enjoy cellphone units from leading mobile manufacturers like Motorola, LG< Kyocera, Samsung or Nokia.  Basic or Smart phone, it's all in TracFone.

Since there are no fixed contracts, it's very easy and convenient to refill minutes with the use of pay as you go cards available almost everywhere in the country.  More practical choice is the 1yr service card which is loaded with 800 minutes, double minutes for only $119.00.  DO you know what real TracFone customers love the most?  International calls are charged just like the regular call rate.  NO extra cost to call internationally with Tracfone.   Isn't it worth the savings?

 

5 Tips for Introducing Babies to Solid Foods

1.	You can start introducing solid foods between 4 and 6 months.
2.	The first food you should introduce should be rice cereal.
3.	Begin with once a day feedings.
4.	Give your baby plenty of time to swallow food.
5.	Introduce other solids gradually. Wait 3 days in between each new food.

Total Equipment Protection

This post brought to you by Sprint. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you noticed how babies and toddlers love to mess with our techie gadgets? It's like magnet for them, remote controls, cellphones, laptops, car key remote, all those they love to fiddle with. There are times when we don't get to pay much attention with what our kids grabbed and later on misplace or lose it. It happens a lot with mobile phones, little tots love to grab it and just go play somewhere else then leave it when they tire of it. Sometimes I have to ring the phone just to locate it.

If you're a Sprint customer you might not mind so much about losing or misplacing your mobile phone with their new Sprint Total Equipment Protection App. The app is available for Android, Blackberry and other select feature phones. So what does this simple app can do for you? Many things! You can feel more secure than ever in any case your phone has been misplaced, you need not fear of having your information being stolen or losing your phone for good. With this app, phones can easily be located, syn contacts, remotely wipe and or lock phone plus equip it with sound alarm. Who says only cars or homes can have sound alarm?

Check out this youtube video for more info!

Take advantage to download the app to be able to add features to your phone until August 30. Open enrollment for TEP runs from August 1-30 at $8.00 per month. That little for added protection in case your phone is lost, stolen , damaged or malfunctions after the warranty has expired. TEP secures a quick and easy replacement procedure if any of the unfortunate event happens to your phone. You'll never know when an unexpected happens so better hurry and visit www.tepenroll.com to enroll or learn more about this one of a kind app.

Welcoming Baby

I have some really great news: my husband and I are about to welcome our first baby! I can’t wait to be a mom for the first time and I love the idea that we’re going to get to raise her out here on the farm my husband grew up on…I need to get this place child proofed before she gets here, though. I already went to SATELLITESTARINTERNET.com to look into satellite internet and talked to the guys down the street about adding a gate to our fence for security but we’ll deal with all that when the time comes. I’ve got the nursery all ready to go and we’ve been taking Lamaze classes for about 6 weeks now so I really think we’ll be ready when baby Jones decides to finally grace us with her presence! I like being pregnant and I’m going to miss it but I know it will all be worth it once that sweet little girl gets here in my arms and I can hold her.

The Author of this post is Solomon Dejesus

Family Downtime In Branson

This post brought to you by Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

Quality family time is very important, this builds better relationship between parents and their children. Finding the right place to go to is equally important because this can male the experience very memorable and special for all. We can all get too busy on day to day basis sometimes forgetting to have some downtime with the family. Kids need to have great attention from parents to further help their development and boost their confidence. Though things may get too hectic, making sure to sit down and spend quiet time with our kids can make a big difference in their well-being.

From Drop Box

Branson is a great place to visit for the entire family. There are many possible things to do there like enjoying the race tracks, mini golf, visit to the fun factory, museum and the bets of all watching the Waltzing Waters. So many attractions to see but of course the kind of fun every family can go to depends on the ages of their kids. That's why the Waltzing Waters can be a great pick above all other fun activities, for sure kids of all ages and even parents will definitely enjoy such marvelous show. You can't get to see this anywhere else in the city.

Of course staying in Branson means having to book for a hotel accommodation, Hiltons of Branson have affordable packages for both Hilton Promenade and Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. The Branson Best Value Vacation Package gives you the opportunity to have a free third night stay if you book with them for 2 nights. This is great for long weekend holidays! Aside from the accommodations, it includes 2 adult and 2 children's tickets to Legends of Kung Fu Show at the White House Theater with 2 day passes to Silver Dollar City. Imagine just booking in Hiltons practically gives you back what you paid for. On top of that you'll be given a $25 shopping gift card and $25 food credit for Level 2 Steakhouse. What else could be better than this? From lodging to dining, all the way to shopping and entertainment all in.

Safety On Baby Carriers

What to look for:

• The carrier should have straps that prevent your baby from falling or crawling out. Look for firm, padded head support. Try to match your baby's size and weight and make sure there is enough depth to support the back and that the leg openings are small enough to prevent your baby from slipping out.
• Check for ease of use. Some of the soft ones are difficult to put on because of numerous straps.
• A framed carrier should have a kickstand that locks in the open position. The folding mechanism should be free of pinch points that could catch your baby's fingers. Look for padding on the metal frame around the infant's face.
• Try the pack on for comfort, both with the baby in it and without.
• Ideally, the fabric should be durable with strong stitching or large heavy fasteners to prevent slippage.
• Pockets or zippered compartments are handy for storing frequently needed items.

SAFETY NOTES:

• Never use a framed carrier before your infant is 4 to 5 months old, and don't use it as an infant seat. It can tip over without warning.
• Use restraining straps at all times if your carrier has them.
• If you need to lean over, bend from the knees rather than the waist to prevent the baby from falling out of the carrier.
• Check the carrier periodically to look for loose fasteners or ripped seams.

c/o kidshealth

Practical Schooling

This post brought to you by Zenni Optical. All opinions are 100% mine.

Summer's almost over and kids need to go back to school once again. Back to school means back to shopping for supplies and all. Spending is inevitable but it's possible to get the things every student needs without making so big of a damage to one's budget. Couponing is one way of getting big discounts, looking out for sale items is another great way to save and lastly going to the wholesale retailers guarantees better prices than other places.

Being up to date with the season's fashion is also something to consider when kids go back to school. Clothes, shoes, bags and other accessories are easier to find better deals in certain stores but not prescription glasses. Though some might just wear glasses as part of their fashion statement, others really do need to have specs to aid their blurry vision. Have you heard of Zenni Optical? Ever tried ordering prescription glasses there?

Specs have always been on the heavier side of the budget but with Zenni Optical you can actually save money on prescription glasses. The prices are ridiculously low but the frames are very nice looking. You certainly can save a lot getting your child's glasses from Zenni. Imagine getting a new pair of glasses in half the price of other optical shops? how much savings could that be!

Check out their cool site where you can even virtually try on the glasses of your choice to make sure you have the right style and design for your face. See it to believe, http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/07/20/save-money-on-prescription-glasses-online/ has good article to prove how much savings you can have with Zenni.

How Much Should My Child Grow?

During this second year of life, your toddler may gain between 3 and 5 pounds (1.4 to 2.26 kilograms). An average 15-month-old girl weighs about 22 pounds (about 10 kilograms) and stands 31 inches (79 centimeters) tall. Boys tend to be about a pound heavier at 15 months but about the same height.

By age 2, both will stand about 34 inches tall (86 centimeters) and weigh about 27 to 28 pounds (12.25 to 12.7 kilograms) on average. Your toddler's head size also will not change as dramatically this year, with about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) added to head circumference.

What you will notice more than actual growth are changes in a toddler's appearance. Instead of sporting the rounded belly and soft arms and legs suited to crawling on all fours, toddlers start to trim down, become more muscular because of increased activity, and begin to look more like preschoolers than babies.

c/o kidshealth

Mobility For All

This post brought to you by NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's fun to be free and being able to move without the need of any help from others.  Not all though are able and capable of being on their own most especially those who are disabled and in need of wheelchairs to get back to mobility.  In life you cannot depend on people being on your side always to take care of you and do things for you.  It's always better to be able to get yourself on the move without having to rely much on others.

NMEDA helps people who are in need of such mobility.  As a non-profit trade organization, NMEDA educates consumers on buying to their qualified dealers.  They care for the disabled people that's why they promote safe driving and equipment for the disabled.  NMEDA makes sure the vans and other vehicle systems for the disabled safely follow the safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  They however do not sell anything but regulates the standards for the equipment from certified dealers.

NMEDA dealers aim to help the elderly and disabled to be back in motion, to be mobile again.  The NMEDA dealers will help assess your needs to suit the right and proper vessel for you.  They also have the QAP or Quality Assurance Program which is a nationally recognized accreditation program for such industry.  

Help people with disability to get back on the road again.  Help spread the word about NMEDA by checking the qualified dealers near you,  Feel free to leave a comment stating the location to further direct people to the right place. 

Keep Them Moving

Babies need to be free to move and explore, this helps their development and coordination. Playtime is a very important time for growing kids because through this they move and exercise. This doesn't help the body alone but also the mind. Just make sure you keep an eye on your little one and keep them away from possible danger. Not all babies are well coordinated yet and can easily fall, tumble or hurt themselves.

Go For The Straight Talk

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

Before people lived in a world without phones, internet and other mobile connectivity.  They get by and lived well though communication is way too hard those days.  Right now we are living in a very interactive world.  A world where everybody's connected even if you live on different side of the world.  I do admit that I am very thankful for having this kind of opportunity to be able to talk and even see people I love despite our distance.  I can remember how good I felt after hearing my mom's voice when I was in the delivery room and about to start my labor.  If not because of the technology nowadays then I would have been feeling alone.  We had the luxury of updating each other through text messages and calls from time to time. 

Given that it's very easy to communicate with people these days it also comes with a price.  While some pay too much and way over just to have good talk, text and data package, some people go for Straight Talk.  What could be better than no contract mobile service with everything you need for only as much as $45?  Imagine your savings if you make the switch to Straight Talk.  Cutting the bill in half could really save big bucks and with that I can buy a new smartphone which I can use to maximize my mobile web browsing capability.  What's best is that you won't be tied with expensive contract plans and no surprise bills.  This means more freedom with texting, web surfing and you can call a friend without having to worry much about finishing up your minutes.

Straight's deal is like a hook, line and sinker in one.  You can get everything you can ever wish for your mobile provider.  They carry good and reliable mobiile phone units for as low as $10 (reconditioned and basic camera phones) and their amazing smartphone lines from well known and very much trusted phone manufacturers like LG, Motorola, Kyocera, Nokia and Samsung.  All you need is to choose which ever plan suits your needs and it's free from activation, reactivation and even termination fees.  For optimum phone usage you can go for their "All You Need Plan" or if you don't want to worry refilling your account for the entire year, you may opt for the unlimited everything for only $499.00.  Sweet deal right?  Plus 411 calls are of no charge and flexible long distance services.

Feel free to check out here for more information on phone offers and see what Straight Talk subscribers have to say.

 

Kids Need To Be Free

I firmly believe that kids need to be free, free to move and explore. Given the right freedom kids will learn from such experiences and know their inner self. Of course us parents should always be on the watch to correct them and protect them but not to hinder them from doing things that can actually contribute to their development.