Search Results for: blog tip of the day its no soda day

Tips for Coping with Politics on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can be stressful all by itself. Things can get even worse when a presidential election happens a few weeks before Thanksgiving day. Some of your relatives might want to talk about politics. Here are some tips for coping with political discussions on Thanksgiving. Make a conscious effort not to talk about the election at Thanksgiving dinner. Don’t ask your relatives who they voted for. Stay away from topics that were especially controversial during the election. Thanksgiving dinner is not the time to wear a political t-shirt, button, or hat that came from the campaign of the candidate you voted … Continue reading →

Travel Savings Strategies

Choosing to fly during the off-season is an easy way to save money; however, there are many other ways you can pad your wallet when your travel plans take you to the airport.  The key to saving big is a little pre-flight strategizing. For example, if you only fly on commercial airlines a few times a year, you may have a hard time justifying the costs associated with an airport lounge membership.  Still, it’s hard to resist the comforts and services provided at these luxurious airport hangouts. Some of the perks of lounge membership include: Peace and quiet:  Most airport … Continue reading →

Ready, Set, School

Ready or not, the new school year is here. Whether you choose to celebrate by doing a happy dance at the bus stop or by ordering a double caramel macchiato on the way home from drop-off, don’t forget that the first week of school can take some getting used to, especially for young kids. To help ease the transition from freewheeling summer to pencils, books and teachers’ strict looks, consider the following: Free Movie Friday: In honor of surviving the first week of the new academic year, treat your kids to a fun-filled movie night. Turn your basement or family … Continue reading →

Back-to-School Breakfast Ideas

Now that the new school year is underway, my days as a short order cook are over… at least when it comes to breakfast. This summer, I could have easily earned employee of the month honors as a flapjack flipper at IHOP, but instead chose to use my pancake-making skills to keep my 7-year-old happy and full. Kids need a healthy breakfast in order for their bodies and brains to function properly. However, during the school year, this important morning meal often gets skipped in the interest of saving time or scoring a few more minutes of sleep. Ironically, eating … Continue reading →

Money-Saving Mom Moves

School starts here in just a few weeks. Never mind that Target and Wal-Mart erected their school supply displays on the day after Fourth of July. “Mommy, is summer over?” my 7-year-old asked as we strolled by the cases of new pencils, pens and binders on JULY 5th. For weeks, I’ve resisted going near those aisles. I’m dreading having to dig deep to purchase all new supplies, plus uniforms, shoes, and the 17,000 other accessories that students need to tackle a new academic year. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to snap out of my denial phase pretty soon. Sure, my … Continue reading →

52 Fitness Changes – Part 1

Imagine how different your life would be if you made 52 fitness changes. Of course, most of us cannot even imagine such a thing. It would be too much. But what if you broke that down? Instead of making 52 changes at one time, you made one change per week? Now that sounds a bit more doable, doesn’t it? Well that is going to be my challenge for you in the next five blogs. I am going to provide a breakdown of changes you can make each week. My suggestion is that you print these blogs, so you have them … Continue reading →

Summer Storm Survival

This post does not provide tips on how to protect you and your children from lightning strikes, floods or other physical dangers associated with summer storms. Rather, this blog is designed specifically to help moms and dads preserve their sanity when Mother Nature unleashes torrential downpours that force kids to spend the entire day indoors. Some simple yet entertaining indoor boredom busters include: Sing-Off: Grab some ear plugs for yourself, and then let the kids go wild exercising their vocal cords with their own version of “American Idol,” or “The Voice.” Set-up a karaoke machine and a little stage area … Continue reading →

Summer Road Trip Survival

Do you remember when Oprah and her BFF Gayle embarked on an 11-day summer road trip across America? The queen of talk’s cross-country adventure served as a reminder to many of us about the challenges associated with being crammed in a limited space for an extended amount of time with more than just ourselves. Even the people we claim to love with our heart and soul can get under our skin during a long car ride. To avoid taking a turn into vacation purgatory this summer, it’s critical to be well prepared. Remember, when you’re cruising along the highway, one … Continue reading →

Taking It One Week at a Time

You are probably familiar with the phrase “take it one day at a time.” There are many times in my life when I follow this mantra. However, it doesn’t necessarily work for fitness so I have adopted “take it one week at a time.” When I first decided a couple of years ago to really get serious about fitness, I knew from the start that I was going to battle with it. I get bored easily and I lose motivation. So I had to figure out a way to combat both. The problem for some is that they believe in … Continue reading →

6 Ways to Begin a Healthier Lifestyle

The warm weather is finally upon us. You can’t help but notice how great some people look in their shorts. You are now feeling motivated to get healthy. How do you begin? By following these 6 suggestions, you will at least be on your way. Every successful story has a beginning and perhaps today is your day. The first tip is to get out and walk. You don’t have to go and spend a lot of money on a gym membership. You don’t have to invest in workout equipment. Just start by walking. Walking is a great way to break … Continue reading →