Month: June 2019

Financial Independence Strategies for Moms

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Motherhood.

Let’s face it: trying to raise a kid (or kids!) can be a terrifying proposition in this day and age. One of the main reasons why it gets so scary is the cost that is involved. Kids aren’t cheap.

According to one study, the cost of raising a child for 17 years will run you almost $250,000. All of this can put a strain on your finances, particularly if you are a single mom trying to handle it alone.

If you are in this situation, it’s probably time to sit down and do an examination of your finances so that you can declare your own financial independence.

  1. Assess where you stand—The first thing you need to do is to learn how to do a budget. First, look at your past three months (or even the past year’s) spending and sort things into three levels. The first should be for absolute essential purchases and bills, such as mortgage/rent, utilities, car payment, and the like. The second should be for things that are essential (or pretty close) but that you may have some “wiggle room” with, such as phone bill and groceries. The third should be your absolute nonessential bills. This would include that daily Frappuccino from Starbucks, your shoe and purse collection, and your subscriptions to things like Netflix and Spotify.
  2. Say goodbye to the last section—That third pile of nonessential bills are going to have to go bye-bye (at least until you get more stability in your finances). Sure, these are items that you are going to miss, but they are not something that will destroy your life if you get rid of them. If you are spending $5 a day every workday at Starbucks, then cutting that out will save you over $1250 a year. Just cutting out these types of expenses for a couple of years may hurt at first, but it will allow you to pay off your debts and be more stable with your finances.
  3. Adjust the middle section—Start looking carefully at those bills that you can adjust each month. When it comes to groceries, remember that there is nothing wrong with being a coupon and sales shopper. Also, consider getting a membership to a wholesale club like Costco and buy everything in bulk so you can save money in the long-run. Also, look at things like your Internet and phone bills and see if you can cut those back to the absolute minimum. Remember, every penny counts.
  4. Pick up a second job—This may sound hard to do if you have children, especially ones who need constant care or those who have to be shuttled around by mom’s taxi service. But there are several jobs that you can do from home, including everything from medical coding to blogging. Now’s the time to explore some of these part-time options that can give you a secondary income that will help you get out of debt faster. Once you can get rid of those pesky credit card bills, you can cut back and still maintain your independence.

Financial independence isn’t something that is going to happen overnight. But with some time and careful planning (and a good bit of sacrifice), you can get things on track so that you can stop living paycheck-to-paycheck.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

How Moms Can Take Back a Bit of Independence

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Motherhood.

Being a mother can be a wonderful and beautiful experience. But one of the biggest complaints that I hear from other moms is that they feel like they lose their own identity once the kids are born. They suddenly become this monolithic being called “MOM” and have to spend every moment of their day focused on their kids to the point that they don’t really have time for themselves.

The good news is there is a way to work past this so that you can reclaim a bit of your independence and become a fully realized individual. The key to all of these is to find a way to manage your time. But once you do that, you can take back your independence in several areas.

Here’s how:

  1. Physical Independence—It’s a fact that as we get older, our bodies start to fall apart on us. One of my favorite quotes from Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias is, “Honey, time marches on, and sooner or later, you realize it’s marching across your face.” But with that in mind, we still want to hold onto our youthful looks and physical energy and being a full-time mom can really sap that out of you. Exercise may not be on your radar, but it needs to be. If you have small kids, load them up in a stroller, give them a bottle or some juice, and just walk around the neighborhood. If your children are old enough to walk, have them join you. (A little exercise never hurt anyone.) But while you are walking, plug in your headphones and tune out the world a little just so you can focus on your physical well-being, but also so you can stay inside your own head for a little while and just think about the things that matter to you.
  2. Mental Independence—You’ve got to work your mind a little each and every day or else it’s going to atrophy. This can seem hard if the highlight of mental activity for your day is reading “Goodnight Moon” for the millionth time. It’s important to always have a book handy so that you can keep your mind working on more mature ideas. If you are rolling your eyes thinking, “How am I ever going to read a book?” then don’t worry. Today, you can easily get an audiobook to listen to in every minute of “me time” that you have. This can be when you are taking those neighborhood walks I mentioned in my last point, when you are cleaning the house, or when you are driving the kids to soccer practice. Reclaim every moment that you can and do something that will help you grow independently.
  3. Spiritual Independence—This one is a little trickier because it’s not something you can really multi-task. But set aside ten minutes each day for quiet, personal reflection. Once the kiddies are tucked away for the night, turn down the lights and just listen to the world around you. If you choose meditation, that’s great. If you call it “vegetation” instead, then that works too. Just spend some quiet time with your own thoughts and you will be amazed at how much of yourself you can liberate.

These are three areas that any woman needs to work on to help find the fully actualized version of who they are and who they want to be. Motherhood should not be seen as an impediment to these goals. Instead, you just need to work on your time management so that you can reclaim a little bit more of yourself and choose independence.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Backyard Summer Camp Ideas for Stay-at-Home Moms

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Motherhood.

If you are trying to be a parent on a budget, then you know that summer camps may sound great, but they can really be expensive. That’s why so many stay-at-home moms are trying to turn their own backyards into a summer camp experience.

This way, you can keep the kids occupied, engage them physically and mentally in worthwhile activities, and you don’t have to break your bank.

Here are some ideas on how you can turn your home into a backyard summer camp:

The first things you are going to want to do is get organized and collect supplies.

When it comes to organization, just remember three key areas that the average summer camp takes care of: physical activities, arts and crafts, and evening/social activities. Try to schedule activities around these three areas. Also, be sure to stock up on cheap art supplies. (The Dollar Store is a good place to pick these up.)

  • Morning Activities—I find it easier to split the activities up by time of day. The morning is usually best for athletic and physical activities because of the heat. You don’t really want to spend the hottest part of the day outside and sweating, so schedule them for the morning. I also like to have about five main activities that I can rotate around so that they don’t do them each and every day.

    You might want to include time at the local pool (always a favorite), archery (a perennial summer camp favorite that you can enjoy at a local range), golfing (or at least hitting a few buckets on the driving range), bowling, or just going for a walk in the park or around the neighborhood. If you have a lot of kids in your neighborhood, consider organizing a softball or kickball game.

  • Afternoon Activities—The afternoon should be about arts and crafts and more mentally engaging activities. These don’t have to be very expensive, but again, variety helps. You can load up on cheap art supplies to do everything from painting to coloring to origami. But you can also include mentally engaging activities, like writing an original story, reading, and completing jigsaw puzzles. You can also use this time to help your child learn a new skill like photography or cooking.
  • Evening Activities—If you really want to go for the camp experience, then consider getting a camping tent and setting it up in the backyard with a sleeping bag. This is when you should just sit around and talk with your kids. Have them tell you stories and tell them some from your childhood as well. Older kids may balk, but they still like to hear stories, especially if you tell them around a campfire. And don’t forget to make some S’mores on that fire.

This year, you don’t have to send your kids off to an expensive summer camp or even a local day camp. You can work to create the same experience in your own backyard.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Summer Staycation Ideas for Families in Denver

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Denver.

Summer vacation is here and for many of us, the idea of being locked in a cramped car or plane for hours on end just makes us cringe. Thankfully, some brave soul a few years ago coined the phrase “family staycation” and it has been growing in popularity.

For those who don’t know, a staycation is where you stay at home and spend your summer vacation resting and relaxing and either doing some things in the general area of your home or venturing out on a road trip that is fast and able to get you home that night with no hotel accommodations required.

Here, then, are some of the best staycation ideas for those families in the Denver area:

  • Breckenridge—Let’s start with this beautiful little town that is about 90 minutes outside of Denver (on the way to Vail). Although this area is known for its winter sports and recreation, the summertime boasts popular activities such as an alpine gondola, horseback riding, and even an alpine rollercoaster, luge, and rope-course. This abundance of activities will keep your family happy and occupied on your trip.
  • Garden of the Gods—This one is great for multiple reasons. First, admission is free to the nature park, where you can walk and explore some of the most beautiful sights in the world. For additional fees, you can do rock climbing experiences and jeep tours as well.
  • Downtown Aquarium—This Denver staple is always a great place for a quiet day of watching fish and other sea creatures. New to the aquarium is an exhibit that allows you to suit up in scuba gear and explore a tank filled with sharks from the safety of a shark cage.
  • Butterfly Pavilion—While we are talking about the beauty of nature, you might want to consider doing a staycation trip to the Butterfly Pavilion. For the prettier and relaxing side of this exhibit, you can check out butterflies that are indigenous to regions from Colorado to the tropics. But you can also check out some of the creepier crawlies such as Rosie the Tarantula, as well as underwater invertebrates.
  • Casa Bonita—This has been a staple in the area for over 40 years and is the very definition of “dinner and a show.” The restaurant features great Mexican staples (including an all-you-can-eat buffet), plus a variety of shows including pirates, gorillas, cliff divers, and a gunfight. You can also check out puppet shows, the arcade, and spend some time at the gift shop.

Don’t feel like you have to go on a massive road trip this summer to have some fun and relax. Instead, stay at home and do a few day trip activities in the general Denver area.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Top 10 Summer Maintenance Tips for Homeowners

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Home Improvement.

Yet another summer is upon us, which means now is the perfect time to take charge of a whole slew of maintenance projects around your house. Once the freezing cold temperatures and rainy days of winter are gone, you should have better weather to get lots of these projects completed.

Here are the top ten things you need to work on around the house for summer:

  1. HVAC service—You had to know this would be number one. Right before the summer temperatures start to go through the roof, you really need to get your air conditioning unit serviced. The last thing you want is a 100+ degree day only to have your AC go out on you.
  2. Chimney and fireplace cleaning—Now that you should be done using your fireplace, this is the perfect time to call in a professional and have your chimney professionally cleaned. This will get rid of dangerous soot and grime, which can easily aggravate allergies.
  3. Dust your fans—Use an extendable duster to reach your ceiling fans, but also take apart any portable fans and clean the dust out of the blades. This not only will keep your fans running longer, but also cut down on the spread of dust and allergens when you start cranking them up this summer.
  4. Changer your air filter—This one needs to be done about every 90 days, so now is the perfect time to go ahead and change the filter out.
  5. Check your smoke detector and carbon monoxide batteries—Another quarterly project, this is the perfect opportunity to make sure everything is running smoothly to keep your home and family safe.
  6. Pressure wash the house—Another project that works well at this time of year is a pressure washing of your home’s exterior.
  7. Inspect and repair your back porch and deck—If you plan on doing some entertaining outside this year, make sure to inspect your deck and porch for loose boards or protruding nails. If the wood is looking weathered, you may need to stain it and apply a weather seal.
  8. Clean out your gutters and downspouts—After months of winter and spring storms, summer is the right time to clear out the gutters and get rid of any accumulated debris.
  9. Service the lawnmower—Summer is when you are going to be spending a lot of time working on your yard. Take this opportunity to get your lawnmower inspected and serviced so it will run smoothly this season.
  10. Window maintenance—Remove and wash your screens and inspect them to see if any need to be replaced.

This summer get your house in tip-top shape and running smoothly with these maintenance tips. By doing so, you’ll have a more enjoyable vacation season and have lots of fun staying at home.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.