Tweens and Cell Phones

Cell phones for kids are all the rage, but should your child have one?
It wasn't that long ago when tweens asked for walky talkies for their birthdays. A lot has changed since then. Todays tweens want cell phones and cell phone companies know it as they target the preteen market with phones that appeal directly to children. Family calling plans are reasonably priced and many have incorporated tweens and their cell phone habits into the package. It's estimated that approximately 10 percent of preteens already have cell phones, and you can bet the remaining 90 percent are jockeying to get one.

If your tween has asked you for a cell phone (and if she hasn't already, it's just a matter of time before she will) there are a number of considerations you'll want to mull over.
Does she really need a cell phone?

Probably not, but that doesn't mean that a cell phone is totally impractical. If your son has a very busy schedule, or a schedule that isn't always predictable, a cell phone could help you stay in touch and keep up to date on his whereabouts. The real question parents must ask themselves is whether or not their child has matured to the point where he can keep up with his phone and manage the plan's monthly minute limitations.

What are your rules and limitations?

Before you go out and purchase a phone and a plan you'll need to know about school rules regarding cell phones. More and more schools are not allowing cell phones on premises or are requiring that they be turned off completely during school hours, with consequences if they're not. If the whole idea behind purchasing the cell phone is to be able to contact your child at any time of day, you may decide the cost of the phone and the plan just isn't worth it.

Also, you'll want to consider appropriate disciplinary action should your child abuse his cell phone privileges or lose his cell phone altogether.

Does she know cell phone etiquette?

You're not doing your daughter (or society) any favors by buying her a cell phone and failing to educate her on appropriate cell phone behavior. Even tweens need to understand cell phone etiquette in order to save themselves from potentially embarrassing situations. Instruct your child on the basics, such as turning the phone to vibrate, excusing himself from others in order to carry on a phone conversation, and turning the phone off when in public settings. Incidentally, it's also important that your child understand that it's rude to take embarrassing pictures of his friends with his phone, or to use the phone to gossip about others, and otherwise behave badly.

Are they safe?

The jury is still out on this. In Europe, parents have been warned about the potential dangers caused by cell phones and the electromagnetic radiation they emit. As researchers continue to look into the potential harmful drawbacks of cell phone usage, it's best that you talk with your son or daughter about cell phone safety and encourage them to only use the cell phone when absolutely necessary. In addition, headsets are a good idea for tweens or teens who spend a lot of time on their phones and should be an option to consider.

It's important to remember that cell phones can give tweens and their parents a false sense of security. Make sure your son or daughter understands that all the safety precautions you've taught them over the years still apply. Children need to know that they should never put themselves in a risky situation, such as walking alone at night or catching a ride with a stranger, thinking that the cell phone will provide them with a safety net. It won't.

"What does Frugal means?"

"What is Frugal Living?"

So . . . you’ve decided to give the frugal life a shot, and now you’re wondering what you’ve committed to. Does frugal living mean dooming yourself to a life of deprivation, just so you can save a few cents here and there?

Not at all. Frugal living isn’t about sacrifice and deprivation; it’s about living smarter, so that you can afford to live the life that you want to live—the life that you dream of living.

Ready to find out what the frugal life really entails? Read on, and find out.

Frugal living means smarter money management.

When you know how much money you have in the bank and how much money you need to cover your monthly bills, you can begin to make better decisions about how your money is spent. Can you afford to splurge on a new pair of shoes? Is this the right time to buy a new car? Put a frugal budget in place, and you’ll know just what you can afford, and more importantly, what you can’t afford.

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You’ll also know where you stand with your debt repayment, savings goals, and investments—a key step to taking charge of your money and making it work for you.

Frugal living means smarter spending.

It's taking the money that you have and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g it as far as it will go.

It's learning how to get the best deal on everything that you buy—shopping thrift stores, yard sales, clearance racks and barter boards until you find what you want at a price that you can afford; using coupons and rebates in combination with sales to get the very best price on your groceries; and perhaps even stockpiling items when you find them at an unbeatable price.

It's also knowing when not to shop—holding off on a purchase that doesn’t fit into your budget, and patiently waiting for a sale to bring an item down to your price. When you adopt the habits of a frugal shopper, you are in full control of your spending.

Frugal living means harnessing your creativity.

It’s about finding ways to make due with what you have, and learning how to do more for yourself. Do you pay someone to change your oil, or do it yourself? Sew a patch on a pair of holey jeans, or buy a new pair? Purchase trash bags, or reuse your plastic grocery bags?

Every day presents new opportunities to reuse, repurpose and create, and it’s the frugal person who recognizes those opportunities, seizes them and turns them into savings.

Why Live Frugally?

Okay, so frugal living is about better money management, bargain shopping and creativity, but what does all of that add up to? Can these three things really result in a better life?

Absolutely.

Frugal living unlocks a world of possibilities. Want to pay off all of your debts? Fund your child’s education? Enjoy the security of a fat bank account? Travel the world?

You can make it happen.

Frugal living is about determining what you want out of your life, and finding a way to make it happen. A couple dollars saved here, and a few dollars invested there doesn’t translate into a life of deprivation; it translates into possibilities.

Decide what you want to get out of life, and then use frugality to make it happen.

"USEFUL TIPS FOR EVERYDAY LIVING"

Tips You Can Use

How many of these did YOU know about?

A sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed.(hmmmmmm...)============ ========= ========= ========= ==

Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.============ ========= ========= ==

For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze. (wish I had known this for the last 40 years!)============ ========= ========= ==

To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.============ ========= ========= ==

Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!).============ ========= ========= ==

Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receiptBLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.============ ========= ========= ==

Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would be much more economical . Now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely! In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get 'sharpened'' this way! It also sharpen the scissor.============ ========= ========= ==

Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works every time! (Now, where to put the body?) LOL============ ========= ========= ==

Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.============ ========= ========= ==

Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on.============ ========= ========= ==

Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.============ ========= ========= ==

Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.============ ========= ========= ==

To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!============ ========= ========= ==

To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove top.======= ============ == ===========

Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.============ ========= ========= ==

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.============ ========= ========= ==

When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.============ ========= ========= ==

Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.============ ========= ========= ==

Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces ........ Left over wine? What's that? :)============ ========= ========= ==

To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.============ ========= ========= ==

Ants, ants, ants everywhere ... Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So, get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.============ ========= ========= ==

Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still,leaves a lovely smell to the shine.============ ========= ========= ==

When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting totweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, and then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.============ ========= ========= ==

Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer..... Clean a toilet.Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush.The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China ..============ ========= ========= ==

Clean a vase.To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.============ ======

Polish jewelry.<>Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.============ ========= ========= ==

To clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).============ ========= ========= ==

Unclog a drain.Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets do wn the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, and then run the hot water.