How to Pay Off your Credit Cards

In this age of instant gratification, credit cards often seem like a 'must have' item. As long as you can pay them off in full each month, then there isn't anything wrong with them, but for those of us without that self-disciplined approach to personal finances they really are a disaster waiting to happen!

If you have credit card debt that is costing you money on a monthly basis, then here's how to sort it out once and for all. Be warned - you WILL have to start being financially savvy and, depending on your past financial indiscretions, this could be a long term commitment!!

The first thing to do is to STOP SPENDING! Remove your credit cards from your wallet, cut them up or, if you can't stomach that, freeze them in a block of ice at the back of your deep freeze . . . anything to keep them out of reach!! If you 'need' one for internet purchases, hook yourself up with a Mastercard (or similar) debit card and use your own money!!

Work out exactly how much it is that you owe. If you have a mortgage you may be able to transfer this amount to your mortgage and pay it off at a lower interest rate. If you do this make sure you pay the same amount each month to your mortgage that you would otherwise be paying to your credit cards to get the balance out of the way as soon as possible! If this isn't an option for you, shop around and find who is offering the lowest fees on their credit cards. You may be able to organise to transfer your balance. If you do transfer your balance to another card or add it to your mortgage be sure to get rid of your original cards so you don't end up with more debt!!

If transferring your outstanding credit card balance is not an option, then work out which card charges the highest interest rate and start paying that off first. If you haven't set yourself a budget yet, now is the time to do it. Work out how much you have to pay to meet the minimum payment requirements for all your cards. If you have any extra cash available once you have covered all your other expenses then use it to pay some extra on the card with the highest interest rate. When that is paid off, apply this amount to the next card in line and so on until all your cards are paid.

Remember to ALWAYS pay your cards on time - credit card companies charge hefty late fees if you don't!

Once you are debt free and have all that spare money at your fingertips start a savings plan. Make sure that you include an amount for short term savings so that you have the cash for those impulse splurges!!

If you have any tips for paying off credit card debt or would like to share your getting out of debt story please leave a comment. We'd love to hear form you!!

5 Ways to Make A Difference to Your Finances

These days, with prices and interest rates rising in the blink of an eye it can be a real adventure trying to make ends meet and last from one pay cheque to the next. But don't despair, this week's list is here to help inspire you to make your money go the distance. From short term quick fixes to get over a cashflow hurdle to more long term lifestyle changes to make your life easier in the future.

1. Get rid of things you don't need
If you have an unexpected bill to clear away, or some sudden unplanned expenditure is looming in your horizon you could try going through your cupboards to find goods you no longer require that you could sell. That breadmaker you used once, the exercise equipment that never made it out of the box, baby clothes . . . Just imagine how much extra space you will have once you have cleared some of this clutter.

2. Use your car only when you really need to
Try carpooling to work or to the grocery store with your neighbours. Walk your kids to school or ride a push bike. Walk to the corner store. Use public transport. Not only are you saving on petrol and wear and tear on your car, but you will be getting more exercise as well - so you won't be needing that gym membership anymore!

3. Be sparing with your electricity
Turn your lights off when you leave the room. Use eco lightbulbs (but be sure to dispose of them properly). Hang clothes outside to dry whenever you can. Turn the thermostat down a notch. Insulate your hot water cylinder and pipes. Open your curtains to let the sun warm your house during the day and close them at night to keep the warmth in.

4. Pay off your credit cards and other debts as fast as you can afford
The quicker they are paid off the less interest you pay. Enough said!!

5. Make your own fun
I know that sounds like something your Grandma would say . . . but it really is true that you can have a blast without spending a fortune. Rent DVDs instead of going to the movies. Have a Pictionary Party (or Cranium - my personal favourite, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly . . .). Organise a dinner party at home instead of going out to a restaurant. Take your family to the beach or the park for a picnic.

How to Teach your Child Empathy

Image via Wikipedia

Empathy is an extremely important skill for our children to develop. Simply put, it is the abilty to understand the feelings of others and to respond in an appropriate way. It is one of the most primary of moral fundamentals as it defines our relationships and the way we interact socially. Unfortunately, it is not something that develops on its own- Instead it is a skill that must be taught, encouraged and developed.

Children who are not taught empathy grow to be callous adults who have difficulties forming good relationships with others. Having a capacity for empathy now helps your children relate to others better. The benefits are many, the least of which will help them to achieve more in school.

Scientific studies suggest that children under the age of 18 months are not able to understand the concept of empathy, but by modelling the behaviour you want to encourage in them you are providing a good foundation to build on as they grow.

HOW TO HELP...

-Young children need to learn to name their emotions.

It helps them to make sense of their emotional world and is the first building block in learning empathy. Naming emotions allows you to talk about them with your child. You can begin to help your child understand what to do with their feelings and teach them such important concepts as how their actions affect others, consequences etc.

-Keep an eye out for opportunities to practise empathy with your child.

You could encourage your child to befriend the new boy or girl at playgroup. Talk about feeling lonely and being friendly and how that would make the other child feel. With older children you can discuss social issues and ask questions like, "How would you feel if . . .". Or 'What would you do . . . ". Perhaps you could let your actions teach the lesson. Take on some sort of volunteer work as a family, or offer your family's services to weed your neighbours garden when they are not well.

-Teach your child the basic rules of politeness.

Saying your pleases and thank yous is a concrete way to show respect and caring to other people. It didnt do us any harm!

- Children also need to learn to read non-verbal clues about how people are feeling.

They need to be taught how to read facial expressions and body language- You could play a sort of 'Emotional Charades' game - where you model an emotion and your child has to guess what it is. Role play is another good way to hone this skill.

-Give your child chores to complete each day.

Research has found that children who learn responsibility also learn altruism ( unselfishness/compassion ) and caring.

The most important thing you can do to teach your child empathy is to model it yourself.

Try not to use anger to control your child. Easier said than done, I know, but by treating your child calmly yet firmly and above all fairly you are teaching your child an important lesson about caring and respect.

Take an interest in your child's social world- Ask specific questions about the people in your childs daily life. This reinforces the importance of relationships with others.

After all, no man is an island...

If you want to read more visit:
http://www.education-world.com/a_issues/chat/chat166.shtml
http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/0_the-caring-child-how-to-teach-empathy_67936.pc
http://life.familyeducation.com/parenting/friendships/29483.html
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/teach_kids_empathy.htm

Vote for Your Favourite Charity

How to Make a Difference is looking for a Charity to support over the remainder of 2008. We get a few visitors through our metaphorical doors and we would like to use our web traffic to make a difference.

There are so many worthy organisations out there, its an almost impossible decision to make. So we need your help!!

Post a comment here before the end of April letting us know your favourite Charity Organisation or Project. Don't forget to add a link to their website.

Over the month of May we will be running a poll so you can vote on your favourite Charity Organisation or Project. The Charity with the most votes at the end of May will be our 2008 How to Make a Difference Charity.

So let us know the cause closest to your heart now - and don't forget to check back on the first of May to vote . . .

5 Ways to Make the World a Kinder Place

You don't have to make grand gestures or donate large sums of money to charity to make the world a better place. Often its the little things that make the biggest difference of all. Here's a list of inspirations to get you started making the world a kinder place.

1. Smile and say “hello” to someone you don’t know.


2. Carry inexpensive, pocket-sized rain ponchos in your car and hand them out to pedestrians who are getting drenched in a downpour.


3. Let someone merge into traffic during rush hour.


4. Offer to baby-sit for free to give a single parent an evening off.


5. Call or visit a homebound person.

Want more ideas? Visit The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation one of my all time favourite places on the internet.

Daily Quote

visit forbetterlife.org

Website Round Up - Get Active

If you need some more ideas or inspiration to get active and get healthy, take a look at these sites . . .

SPARC - Active living
Physical Activity versus Exercise
Active Living at Work
Exercise for Beginners
FoodFitness

How to Start Being More Active

There are 3 main components to a good exercise programme. Cardio training, Strength training and Flexiblity. If you are new to exercise and wanting to lose weight, start with a cardio programme such as walking or swimming and as you progress add a strength training component. Stretches to improve your flexibility should be built in to your warm up and cool down phases to help prevent injury.

If you're not the sporty type, or dread going to the gym don't be put off. Exercise doesn't have to be boring or intimidating. Find something you enjoy doing and do it every day. You could take a dance class, or get down and boogey in the privacy of your own home. You could get out into the garden, take a walk with a friend, indulge your inner child and play with your kids at the park. If you build your exercise routine into your lifestyle, its much easier to make a habit of it.

Most Health Professionals recommend that we get at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily. This can seem a bit daunting if you haven't been very active for a while. If you have been sedentary, start with 5 minutes of your chosen activity and increase the time and the intensity as your fitness improves. Keep a record of your starting fitness level so you have something to look back on to see how far you have come. A fitness diary can be a great motivational tool!

As well as setting aside a specific time each day to exercise, aim to become more active. Take the stairs instead of the lift, instead of phoning or e-mailing your work colleagues walk over to talk with them, park at the back of the supermarket carpark instead of right by the door. . . the more active you can be, the easier you will find it to lose weight.

Before you start any new exercise programme consult your Doctor.

5 Ways to Get More Exercise (without joining a gym)

Do you find it hard to fit the recommended 30 minutes of exercise into your busy day? When you think exercise, do you conjure up images of lycra and expensive gym memberships?

If you answered 'Yes' to either of these questions, then this list is for you!

Exercise is an important component of wellbeing, and for many people a regular exercise routine is a difficult habit to adopt. So here are some quick tips to help you build more activity into your lifestyle.

1. Take the stairs instead of the lift.
Not only are you getting a good cardio workout, you're also toning your glutes and thighs.

2. Go for a walk with a friend
Instead of catching up over coffee, try going for a walk instead. You should still be able to just comfortably hold a conversation when you are exercising at a moderate intensity. A workout buddy is a great way to stay motivated to exercise.

3. Play in the park with your kids
Go on, have fun! Take a ball or a frisbee. Play catch, play tag, climb on the bars, indulge your inner child. Your kidswill love it and so will your body!

4. Park at the back of the carpark
Don't fight with everyone else for those parks closest to the supermarket door. There are always plenty of parks at the back of the carpark. Go for one of those and get your shopping off to a less stressful start and get some exercise at the same time!

5. Dance
Turn up the music, get down and boogey! On your own, with your significant other, or your kids . . . get moving! That's right, exercise can be FUN!!

Got any other ideas? Leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you!!

Carnival Time?

Well, we didn't get any responses to our Blog Carnival this week, so instead I have hunted down some of the best sites to help you with preparing meals in advance for you and your family. Enjoy!

Feed The Freezer: Freezer Cooking Guide

Once a Month Cooking - Freezer Cooking

Freezer cooking - Once a month cooking

30 Day Gourmet

Website Round Up - Save Money on Groceries

If you need more ideas or inspiration to keep your food bill to a minimum, then take a look at these websites. Most of the sites on todays list offer more than just grocery savings tips. Be sure to take a look around and learn howto make the most of your hard earned cash!

Simple Savings
Mealopedia
Ten Tips for Saving at the Grocery Store
Save on Groceries with ‘Strike-Point Shopping
Spend Less on Groceries

Weekly Blog Carnival

This weeks blog carnival is all about cooking in bulk for the freezer.

We want your favourite recipes and tips. Share them on your blog and link back to use here at How to Make a Difference. We will post links to your blogs so our readers can share your delicious recipes and great ideas.

Please use this button to submit your post.

How to Grow Vegetables in Pots

You don’t need a big backyard to have a vegetable garden. All you need is a sunny spot on your patio or balcony and you can grow a range of vegetables. If you choose bush, or dwarf varieties then most vegetables will lend themselves to be grown in pots.

There is no need to purchase expensive pots either. You can use buckets, heavy plastic bags, barrels . . . you are only limited by your imagination and drainage. Whatever you decide to use you have to make sure it has adequate drainage or your plants will drown.

Make sure the containers are the right size. Too small and your plants will dry out quickly and become root bound. Too small and the soil will hold extra water and your plant's roots will rot.

Try to find containers in a pale colour so they don't absorb too much heat and cook your growing vegetables.

Invest in some good quality potting mix to get started. If you would like to make your own soil you could invest in a worm farm. Not only will you make wonderful rich soil, you will be recycling your green waste - no more food scraps in the rubbish - and you will also be creating fantastic liquid fertiliser.

Remember to water your vegetables regularly. Vegetables in containers dry out quickly and need more regular watering than those grown in a garden plot.

When looking for vegetable varieties to grow in your container garden keep an eye out for bush, space-saver or dwarf varieties. Below is a list of Vegetable varieties that work well in pots:

Tomatoes: Patio, Pixie, Tiny Tim, Saladette, Toy Boy, Spring Giant, Tumbling Tom, Small Fry
Peppers: Yolo Wonder, Keystone Resistant Giant, Canape, (Hot) Red Cherry, Jalapeno
Eggplant: Florida Market, Black Beauty, Long Tom
Squash: Dixie, Gold Neck, Early Prolific Straightneck, (Green) Zucco, Diplomat, Senator
Leaf Lettuce: Buttercrunch, Salad Bowl, Romaine, Dark Green Photo by FreeFotos.com Boston, Ruby, Bibb
Green Onions: Beltsville Bunching, Crysal Wax, Evergreen Bunching
Green Beans: Topcrop, Greencrop, Contender, (Pole) Blue Lake, Kentucky Wonder
Radishes: Cherry Belle, Scarlet Globe, (White) Icicle
Parsley: Evergreen, Moss Curled
Cucumbers: Burpless, Liberty, Early Pik, Crispy, Salty

This list is by no means exhaustive. You can grow potatoes, carrots, celery, most herbs . . . if you like to eat it then give it a try!!

Happy gardening.

For more info take a look at these websites:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/container/container.html
http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/a/ContainerVeggie.htm
http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/a/ContainerVeggie_2.htm
http://www.mygreathome.com/outdoors/vegetables.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1620935.htm

5 Ways to Make a Difference to your Grocery Bill

Lets face it, we've all got to eat, but you don't have to spend a fortune on groceries to eat well. Here are a few tips to help you keep your grocery bill from getting out of hand.

1. Grow your own vegetables.
You don't have to have a lot of space to grow vegetables. You can grow most things in pots if you don't have a garden!

2. Make a list and only buy according to your list
Put a list up on your fridge and get into the habit of writing things down as you get low or run out.

3. Plan your weekly meals in advance
This way you know you have everything you need to cook delicious healthy meals every night. It makes it easier to prepare your shopping list and you don't have to think about what to cook at the last minute!

4. Don't shop when you are hungry - you'll buy more.

5. Don't buy pre-prepared items
Make your meals from scratch. Double a recipe when cooking and freeze the extra, or set aside a day to make several meals and freeze them. This way you save money and time!

Friday Carnival

Welcome to the April 5, 2008 How to Make a Difference Carnival of Children's Books. Many thanks to all who participated. These are all new books to me, so the girls and I will definately be heading down to the local library to check them out.

NAOMI presents Diary From England: ROTHERHAM WELCOMES QUEEN OF COUNTRY MUSIC posted at Diary From England, saying, "Thought this post may be of interest. It refers to a new initiative launched over here by Dolly Parton to encourage children to read. Many thanks and good luck with your carnival."

Marilyn Terrell presents Roxaboxen posted at Cartophilia: Maps and Map Memorabilia, saying, "Roxaboxen, one of my favorite children's books, is about some kids who create their own imaginary town."

Kelsey presents Children's Book - In the Fiddle Is a Song posted at Vanilla Joy - Family Fun and Education.

NerdMom presents Jumping Kangaroos and Red Foxes posted at Nerd Family Things.

D Robinson presents Making Story Time Special: Top tips on the art of reading to your child Australian Women Online posted at Australian Women Online.

That concludes our carnival of children's books

Website Round Up - 2008 Children's Book Awards

Looking for more great books to read with your pre-schooler? Here's an international selection of book awards sites to peruse for help finding the best of today's children's titles.

• New Zealand Post Book Awards Picture Book Finalists 2008
• Red House Children's Book Awards 2008 Shortlist
• Winners of the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards 2007
• The CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards 2007 Winners

And while you're looking, check out this great list at zenhabits.net

How to Make the Most of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is a great book. It also happens to be my two year old's current favourite. One of the really fantastic things about it is that it lends itself to all sorts of investigations, experiments and learning opportunites. So this weeks 'How to. . .' list is a compilation of fun activities you can do with your pre-schooler that are based on The Very Hungry Caterpillar.


CRAFT
There are some great craft activities you can enjoy with your pre-schooler.

Painting or colouring butterflies and caterpillars

Make a butterfly mask

Make an egg carton caterpillar.
You will need: paint, paint brushes, glue, construction paper, pipe cleaners, cotton balls, and egg cartons (oddly enough!)

Cut the egg cartons into sections of three. Then, glue the egg carton to a sheet of construction paper and paint the egg carton. Allow the carton to dry. Next, glue some cotton balls to the top of the carton. Place two pipe cleaners into the front of the egg carton. Draw on eyes and a face. Of course you can decorate it with other things - glitter, sequins, buttons . . . whatever takes the fancy of your pre-schooler!

MUSIC & MOVEMENT
You could find some appropriate music and dance around like a butterfly or a caterpillar

Click here for a great site with songs and poems about caterpillars and butterflys.

SCIENCE
If its the right time of year and you have a vegetable garden, it could be a great time to pop out and have a look at the white butterflies hovering around your cabbages and cauliflowers and their offspring eating them!

Or you could grow some Swan Plants and observe the life-cycle of the Monarch Butterfly.

You could do some blind taste tests of some of the foods the caterpillar ate. Your pre-schooler can try and guess what each thing is. Talk about texture, smell and taste.

Get some picture books from the library about the life cycle of butterflies.

MATHS
Cut out 11 circles from different coloured paper. Decorate one to be the Caterpillars face, write the numbers 1 - 10 on the other circles and work with your pre-schooler to put the caterpillar together with the numbers in the right order. Or alternatively you could draw 1 -10 spots on each circle instead of writing the numbers.

Make caterpillars of varying sizes and talk with your pre-schooler about bigger and smaller, putting the caterpillars in order of smallest to biggest or vice versa.

VOCABULARY
Talk about the days of the week with your child

Make cards of the different letters the foods start with and talk with your pre-schooler about the sounds and which food starts with which sound.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Feel free to add any other ideas you might have in a comment attached to this post!

Have fun!!

For more ideas and for activities for older kids head on over to:
* http://www.teachingheart.net/veryhungrycaterpillar.html
*http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/pages/452.shtml