Have a Better Life

It looks like Autumn has arrived. The temperature has dropped a lot, it is raining today and it doesn’t smell like Summer anymore.

Last week we had strong winds and thunder. The weather was so bad my kids said we needed to build underground shelters for days like that.

This was a real bad Summer with a lot of wind, a lot of clouds and low temperatures. Due to the weather my kids were not able to enjoy the outside pool as much as they should.

School will begin in two weeks and the Summer will be definitely gone.

I love meatballs!

Meatballs on spaghetti are really fantastic but having a meal that is purely meatballs is breathtaking! This is not your ordinary meatballs made from ground pork, chicken or beef. This is a recipe of turkey meatballs. Very healthy, isn’t it?

You can be assured of low fat and healthy meal with this recipe. This can be your meal or an appetizer. You will be experiencing a very juicy and delectable meatball ever! Kids would love this, too!

Tangy Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
• 1 egg white
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 drops Louisiana-style hot sauce
• 1/3 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon canola oil

SAUCE:
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, green pepper, egg white, garlic and hot sauce. Crumble turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. In a small nonstick skillet, brown meatballs in oil; drain.
• Combine the sauce ingredients; pour over meatballs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through.

This is a Taste of Home Recipe

Are you a smoker? Do you love to smoke Romeo cigars? Or Julieta ones? Well you are the one that knows about your lifestyle.

If you are a smoker protect your home environment especially if you have children living at home. The smoke and smell will get into your walls and furniture making it difficult to go aways. Also, other people living in the house don’t have to breath the smoke that comes out of your cigars.

When you feel the need to smoke just go outside and do it in open air.

Although the weather is not that hot, Summer is here and for those living near the beach, going to the beach is a reality. Although many people says they are able to rest on the beach, for those having children, going to the beach can be quite stressful.

Image via Wikipedia

Going to the beach for an afternoon with kids can be a little tough. Preparing beach towels, beach toys, snacks, drinks, sun hats, and other necessary items can be stressful. Taking care of the kids in the beach, watching them while they insist in going to the ocean can be kind of exhausting.

When you arrive home make sure you take care of the kids, baths, dinner, bedtime, and take advantage of your clawfoot tubs or jacuzzi, if you have one, and relax from the busy afternoon.

Regain strenght, energy so that you can face a new day fully restored.

September is approaching meaning that the car insurance will be due and I will have to pay for it. This September I’m not asking for insurance quotes since I did it last year and I got a great deal. Six months ago I did a little research and figure out that the price I’m paying for car insurance is the lowest in the market.

What I decided to look for was information about universal life insurance. This type of insurance is known for its flexibility, transparency, and affordability. For me it would be useful to founding a retirement plan but how am I going to founding a retirement plan if I have no extra cash from the bills I pay?

I really need to improve my savings by putting aside an amount of money each month but, if things are no tight, how am I going to do it?

Guest Post

Every month, you surely receive promotional offers and monthly bills on your home mailbox. You may rave on the latest promos from retailers. But you surely are almost always ranting about your monthly bills, whether for utilities or insurance.

Nobody said paying up monthly obligations and balancing your household budget is easy, especially these days. When the times get tough, your logical measure would be to trim down or lower your regular household expenses. Doing so should never be an extreme sacrifice. Here are 10 ways on how you could reduce your monthly household bills.

1. Budgeting

Limit your spending on necessary items to just about 60% of your overall monthly income. This may mean exerting more effort on effective and logical budgeting. Carefully track your regular expenditures every month and try to adjust budget targets in every category. Your monthly expenses should not exceed your regular monthly income.

2. Electricity

According to the US Department of Energy, the average American household spends up to $250 or more annually just on standby power. Thus, you could save so much if you would always unplug appliances and devices that are not in use. Keeping your printer, television, or PC plugged in and on standby incurs small energy losses.

3. Telephone bills

Lower your telephone bills for both landline and cellphone. For landlines, switch to measured-use plans that may cost at least $10 each month for unlimited incoming calls and limited outgoing transactions. Use your mobile phone for emergencies and only if necessary. Switching to a prepaid mobile plan could help you save a lot as you may spend just about $20 each month on buying prepaid.

4. Groceries

Try to buy by bulk as doing so would help you save dollars. Also buy more when items are on sale. How about using discount coupons? Compare price tags on various supermarkets so you could determine where to find and get the best buys. Avoid frequent trips to the grocery, do your shopping list weekly or twice a month, and do not shop for your household supplies on an empty stomach.

5. Heating and cooling

Make your home weather-ready. Windows and exterior doors must be caulked so that air inside the house would not seep out when you are using your heater or air conditioner. Check your home insulation. It would be easier to keep a weather-tight home cooler or warmer during summer and winter, respectively.

6. Internet and cable

Have you already figured out that you could save a big amount of cash by bundling your Internet and cable television services? By doing so, you could possibly save up to $392 every year.

7. Water

Try to minimize your water bill as well. Be mindful of the way your household uses water every day. Do not leave the faucet running while you brush your teeth. Do your laundry weekly instead of daily. Repair leaky tanks and taps and fix running toilets. Try to take quick showers instead of lengthy showers.

8. Mortgage

Paying for your home loan is not actually part of essential spending for your household but since it is necessary to make payments, mortgages usually get into regular household expenditures. Do not stick to your minimum required payments; try to pay more than required each month so you could lower your principal and possibly shorten loan maturity. Remember, the longer your mortgage stays, the higher your interest payment becomes.

9. Home insurance

Seek discounts from your home insurance provider. If it remains costly, try to look around for cheaper policies from other insurers. Just be careful not to compromise the overall coverage and benefits.

10. Car insurance

Increase your excess charge (an amount you agree to shoulder before the insurance provider provides for claims). Doing so is a good way to lower your car insurance premiums.

Andrew has been working in the finance industry for several years, helping people with debt management and refinancing solutions.

With our new pool in the house we have extra work checking and maintaining the pool water. We have to at least once a week check the chlorine and Ph values and adjust them if necessary.

Although there is extra care and some minutes need to be spent in the pool to clean it, I believe it was worth the money since the kids can have a great time without leaving the house.

I know that some houses for lease have a pool but even if I pretend to lease mine I could take my pool with me and mount it in another place. My pool is one of those that are manually mounted and can be dismounted if necessary. It took a couple of days to mount but it’s worth the time invested on it. A ground pool would be nicer but also much more expensive.

This year we decided to spend the money of a one week vacation in a fancy destination with a swimming pool that will last all summer and hopefully will last several years. Wise money management.