File Those Bills Payment Receipts!

As organized as I try to be, for some reason, I lost one $13 credit card payment receipt during the holidays. I was shocked to receive a billing statement over email with an amount that of more than $31 than I expect. I make sure I pay the full amount of my bill before the due date, so alarmed as I was, I called Citibank to ask for the breakdown. It turned out, I got penalized and the payment never got through. I always pay via the bank and thought maybe the bank failed to upload the payments over the holidays.

After rummaging for all probable place I could have placed it, I finally saw the receipt which was collected alongside all the other receipts (probably by my weekend cleaning girl), it's on top of the fridge. I found out that the account number that it got credited in was the old Citibank credit card that was long terminated. I called Citiphone again (for the fourth time) and they saw that the payment was indeed credited to the terminated account. I faxed the transaction receipt and they are going to reverse all charges very soon! Whew!

I always file my receipts, but because of busyness and because of the amount of the receipt was too small to bother with, I took for granted to keep it until I receive a confirmation of the receipt of payment. No, I don't keep my receipts for ages to gather dust and all. I have my email archive to do the job- a confirmation receipt is enough. Another lesson learned by yours truly. As much as I was confident that I paid my obligation, it was not enough. I have got to get hold of the receipt for proof until it gets credited and I have received confirmation.

Meanwhile, I am happy that I don't need to pay that extra $31 (charges and penalty) for that would have been treated as $13 unpaid bill. Atleast the company gave me credit for the good standing and prompt payments I have always had with them. :-)

Shumacher Homes

We all know how pricey lands are these days. This is probably because it is one of the investments that gets scarce by the day. The reason is obvious, we only have so much land all over the earth that the little we have left are given so much value. If you are looking into constructing your home, it is always best to go to the one that has reputation for quality standard.

You will be read from Schumacher Homes Press the many recommendations and awards that Shumacher Homes have bagged ever since it has joined the industry of real estate. Like for instance, last August 8, 2008, Greater Akron Chamber’s Small Business Council chose Shumacher Homes as the 2008 Excellence in Business award winner. For one, this award is only given to businesses that gave outstanding performance and have made a considerable impact not just the business industry but to the community as well.

Shumacker Homes, if you haven’t heard of it yet, is a company the custom builds a home. They currently builds beautiful homes in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and a lot of other states. Head out to their web page and learn more about them.

Posting of Weekly Menu

If you are a work from home mom like me, chances are the major part of your household chores is preparing the menu for each of the three meals a day, week in and week out. It is often a treat to just eat out, or order in. But this is not the case if you have a budget to consider, like I do.

Getting down to listing down the recipe should be done in the most relaxed day of the week. Putting it all together from a collection as you plan out your week will be relief, knowing you know what ingredients to buy ahead of time.

This will prove to be beneficial even as you become more efficient in doing the things you need to do, not having to crank out every single time you are left with little time to prepare your meal.

Watch Style

Most of us have our little indulgences. For some it is shoes, some bags, watches, jewelries, perfumes, et.al. I know a handful of people who have a closet full of shoes. Whatever it is that you collect, it is wise to get your collection a place of its own. For one, why would you collect if you would have them sit around in disarray, right? It is one thing to be a collector and it is another to be a hoarder. What makes one different from the other is the way you handle your supposed collection.

Incidentally, I chanced upon this website that has a selection of lovely Watch Bands. To date, I have only kept one Swiss watch and it is now more than a decade old. I have no idea anymore whatever happened to all the other watches I have had. This site carries brand name watch bands for high end watches. I am currently looking for bands and straps to match my Bulova watch.

What is so sweet about thiese bands is that HIRSCH Artisanal leather ones are handcrafter no less and those babies are even 100m water resistant and guaranteed with no allergy system. Head over the site if you would like to spark up your watch plain or not, for that band replacement, even just for the sake of a band change.

Pack Away Time

This is the time of the year that you have to gather all those Christmas ornaments to properly store them. But the question is how does one do it the organized way?

Before going to properly storing away those decors, try to decide if you can if you will use the same ornaments or would want to give them away. Storing things that you know you will not use anymore is not wise.

The next question is, is there really an easy way to packing away those Christmas decorations? In fact there is and I hope to share with you, my dear readers, the basics. First is, put on labels for easy access to them in the future. Keep lights and ornaments for the Christmas tree in one box, for instance and properly label them. Use plastic wraps, bubble wraps, for example to protect the some delicate trimmings and crystals, if any.

Packing away does not really need to be overwhelming. If you apply the said system, things will be more easy than it seems.

Stay Safe

Whether it is a simple plumbing job or a home project you are to take care of, it is always wise to make sure you have got the safety equipment you need. For example, you are taking care of a welding job in your home, a mask is necessary to keep you safe. This is something we cannot take for granted.

How about fire extinguishers? Even homes should each have one. These little things can actually count so much in times of emergency crisis.

Conserve Energy by Installing an Automatic Setback Thermostat

Do you know that you can conserve energy and cut down your heating bills by 7 to 12 percent by using an automatic setback thermostat? It's true. The fact that this can be programmed to lower the heat or cool the air while everyone is out during the day, it can do a lot to save you money.

In this hard times, it is always best to look into the little things we often take for granted. These little things pile up and could actually be of help as you take care of your family budget and even prove environment friendly.

Tips To Make Work More Efficient

Some principles I learned from a leadership seminar are 1) using the right tools for doing a particular job and, 2) making sure that the tool is prepared for the job it will be used for. These two principles are very simple but, in my own experience, have been very effective.

For example, when cutting wood, it is not wise to use a hammer to cut through it. A screwdriver won’t do any good as well. Using an axe or a chainsaw, the right tool, will not only lessen the effort exerted but also shorten the time that is used to finish the job.

Another example is in the marine industry, the use of a Material Handling System provides materials handling solutions through the use of mobile gantry cranes. This equipment allows for faster and safer handling of very large and bulky materials that are difficult to move and handle. Shuttlelift.com offers these Gantry Cranes that provides greater efficiency for its users.

Aside from using the right tools, preparing the tools and making sure that they are in their best shape is also essential. A sharpened axe is much more efficient tha a dull one. Similarly, Gantry Cranes that are engineered for higher duty cycles and greater ground speed creates greater efficiency.

How to Kepp Cut Flower Fresh Longer

Always pick flowers early in the morning or early evening. Wrap theou use a in paper towels around the stems until you get them inside the house and immediately immerse the stems into a container of water.

Before immersion, cut the stems at an angle and put them in a pail of tepid water. Please make sure you use a sharp knife and not scissors. Scissors will compress the stems and will not allow the water to freely seep in them.

Keep the vase where you put the flowers away from drafts, including fans and air conditioners, even out of direct sunlight.

Travelling with Family

While travelers must be on their way back to their homes at this time of the year to go right back to their regular routine, it can also be the height of excitement for some to get down on planning their next vacation. The holidays are the perfect time to do all the travelling you want to do.

Exploring places, even local sceneries are the things we hope to do with the whole family. If you happen to be traveling around the city, it will be best if you avail of LaGuardia Airport Car Service. They provide shuttle services that are very affordable, the most reliable ever to transport you and your team between residences, hotels or wherever you would like to go to around New York, Westchester, Connecticut, JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Airports. This will lessen the hassle of going around places that you would rather be an inconvenience if you have no transport service that you could rely on.

This will definitely boost the quality of holiday vacation you have, taking out this issue from the equation and all you need to do is enjoy the sceneries with friends and loved ones.
Meanwhile, the whole family is looking forward to an extended vacation even as we welcome back my folks who is flying from the States in six days.

Cupboard Cleanup

This is my next project. My cupboard now is okay, but there are just some things that have to go already. Things that don't get used for months should really be inside the cabinet rather than sit on the cupboard to gather dust.

Will be going down to do this as soon as the holiday events have settled down. Maybe early next week. Meanwhile I have more cookies to bake for my friends' kids who are coming over tomorrow. :-)

Water Restoration 911

It is always wise to have the household essentials checked at the beginning of the year. Being ready for anything like making sure you know what to do when there is Sewage Backup. It is best to be ready for any storm, even before your flooded home needs cleaning up. Prevention is always better than cure. Sewage contains all those bacteria and viruses and the question is how to contain them or even know how to get them cleaned up and rebuilt if the time comes.

WaterRestoration911.com will come in handy for such need. Their team has got the expertise to restore your home to become clean and dry again. Their twelve years of experience backs up this claim and they are even recommended by some insurance companies.

Having a backed up sewage line can be the most frustrating, not to mention disgusting events a home can ever have. A lot of home emergencies like this can be a complete disaster but having the right people do the dirty job for you will make all the difference. The key is to know where the problem lies and take it from the root. Very often it is more than just a simple plumbing job. Check out WaterRestoration911.com for more details.

Cleaning Venetial Blinds

As much as we hope it is as easy as just dusting, if you really want to get those blinds cleaned, you have got to take them down and wash them in water and detergent in the bath tub. Scrub with care. When they are clean, rinse them very thoroughly. and hang them along the shower curtain rod. Make sure you got all the rugs placed on the bathroom floor so as not to get it all wet.

Starting the Year Right

Starting the year right is the way to do it if we want to survive the global financial crisis. If you left the year 2008 burdened with debts, you don’t have to carry that burden over to this year helplessly. As with every other problem, big or small, the first step to recovery is admission. If it is debt help that you need, you have got to get real and admit it first to yourself that you need help with debt.

For some the goal to financial freedom is far off, but this does not mean impossible. Doing one step at a time will get you towards the goal. According to one of Suze Orman’s debt solutions is start off with a realistic budget. If you are at all to have a credit card, make sure to avail of the low rate ones.

As you figure out your budget, always write down to prioritize the necessities such as payments for the house, money for the food, toiletries. Then go ahead tally your monthly bills that takes up your income such as utilities, mortgage, et.al. As you become aware of these details, you have that figure in your head how much the deficit is and you are most likely to adjust your lifestyle and take off the luxuries your household got used to, until at least you have paid off your debts.

Happy New Year!

A better year this 2009 is what we hope for all of us. Even as we hope for that, let us all do our part by making the right choices from the smallest to the major ones. Go clean up your closet if you need to. Closet cleaning inside out can be very beneficial. This is an ideal if you would like to start the year right. Sure, it's not going to be a perfect year. Let us go beyond merely striving to survive life. Enjoy every breathing moment.

May you learn from the handful of handy tips and household hints that I will be sharing this year. God bless you all! :-)

Desktop vs. Laptop

If you are into saving energy, then it would be better to choose a laptop over a desktop. I have personally proved this to be true. Mid of last year, we decided to upgrade our desktop's computer memory but it wasn't until I switched to a laptop that the electricity consumption went significantly down.

But if you happen to play a lot of computer games, you would have to get a desktop instead. Just for the record, someone who experimented with desktop and laptop, plugged the laptop into the car charger. The laptop worked great and the car still started. While as for doing the same with the desktop, he blew two fuses and drained the car battery.

So if you are for energy conservation, laptop is for you. But if you are one serious game player, a desktop is preferable. It is always better to purchase a computer unit with energy star.

Unclogging a Toilet

When you flush a toilet and it fills up and refuses to drain, then your toilet is clogged. It's a dirty job to unclog the toilet, but someone has to get to it one way or another. If the toilet is full to the brim bail out half of it to prevent splashing while you work on unclogging it.

Get a plunger and place the cone securely ove the drain hole and pump vigorously a dozen times. If this does not unclog and dislodge the obstruction, wait for an hour and try again.

If plunging does not work, aim the bent end of the toilet auger into the drain. Crank the auger's handle clockwise to feed its snake into the hole until it meets the obstruction. Crank the handle just a bit more, then pull the auger out as you continue cranking clockwise.

If both don't work, then there is a big probability that the problem is the main drain. You may want to get a plumber and do the job as this may entail having the toilet bowl removed all together.

Starting Right with Proper Study Skills

It will approximately be six months from now until my son is to start with formal school. I am hopeful that we will be able to start right and even incorporate at an early age the proper Study Skills that will be foundational for him as he grows older.

If you would like for your child to develop good study habits, you might want to check out Club Z! and look into the values they have in assessing your child’s study routine that will later determine his success in his academics.

Potty Training Tip

As much as I wanted to do elimination communication with my little guy when he was still infant, I wasn't able to because of some complications with his reflux. His digestive system is now okay. But around that time during which he would throw up in a volatile manner every so often. I was too busy as a new mother so I had no choice but to delay training him to eliminate properly.

Toward my son's second birthday, there were a few signs that he was ready for potty training. One of which is he would keep his nappies dry several nights at a time. This is when I started sitting him down on the toilet first thing in the morning. This takes a lot of discpline. Imagine having to embrace the little guy as he sits on the toilet. The first couple of days were not successful. It was important to make him feel that it isn't a task. I even sat on a bean bag in front of the toilet even as we sang along with his favorite songs in my mobile.

It was less than a week when we were all rejoicing with success. :-)

New Year's Resolution?

Three days short till January, have you now come up with a New Year's resolution? Or have you kind of done one mentally and have ceased announcing it to the world the moment you realized you always fall short? As true as it is, it is still a good practice to let people know what you want changed in yourself, for accountability.

One of the things that I am going to sit down with the hubby about is getting our son a health insurance. It is just sad that he is not covered as a dependent, which I still don't get up to this day. I figured we're going to have to get him one our own. With the incidence of him getting almost hospitalized a couple of times this year, even an insurance online can be considered. I will check some quotations and reviews and check the mode of payment we think we will be able to afford.

Another thing I need to get down on is to list down a weekly recipe, a month in advance, at least. This will give me freedom to do the things I need and do them more efficiently. Lots of plans and hopes for this coming year. From our family to yours, we pray for a blessed 2009.