Water Safety - An Extra Minute Can Save a Life

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say how much it breaks my heart to hear about a death caused by drowning. Whether it’s an adult or a child, it’s always sad to me to think that a life could have been spared if someone would have taken just one more minute to ensure a safe environment for these people. The truth is that most drownings can be avoided when people just take that extra minute to think before they or their friends do something dangerous.

This summer, I have already heard of two drowning deaths that have affected people I know. Please take a minute to read these water safety tips before you are the children in your care do any activity in or near the water.

Water Saftey Tips

If the children in your care or adults in your presence cannot swim, put a life jacket or other approved flotation device on them every time you are near or in a pool, lake, pond or other body of water with them. That includes fishing, boating or any other activity that can land them in the water by accident. If someone is concentrating on catching a fish, they may lost their footing and fall in. If there is a boating accident on the lake, someone can fly out of the boat and land in the water.

Enroll any member of your family who cannot swim in swimming lessons. Children can learn to swim before they even learn to walk. Adults can enroll in swim classes that are just for adults.

Never swim alone and don’t let children swim unsupervised. Even experienced swimmers can have unexpected cramps or other freak accidents that put them in danger when nobody else is around.

Only swim in areas monitored by a lifeguard. If it’s your own pool, be sure an experienced swimmer is always monitoring swimmers in your pool.

Do not swim or boat while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. These substances can impair your judgment, making you a danger to yourself and others.

If you have a pool, keep it fenced in with a lock on the gate to keep children out. If you don’t have a fence around your pool, put extra locks higher up on the doors leading out to your pool. Even though we’d like to think we can keep an eye on our children 24/7, you don’t know when they will wake up in the middle of the night and decide to go outside. Or, they may decide to head outside when the phone rings or something else happens to distract you. Put locks at the top of the doors where they can’t reach them even when standing on a chair. Remember, it only takes six inches of water to drown a child.

Always wear a life jacket in a boat, even if you are an experienced swimmer. Rough waters and others boaters can cause accidents that put you in danger.

Don’t swim in any body of water when it is dark outside and there is not adequate lighting. It can be extremely difficult to find the surface of the water once you go under, and it’s more difficult for others to find you in the dark.

Finally, take a CPR class. It’s only a few hours out of your day, but that knowledge can save someone’s life.

Whatever you do this summer, we hope you do it safely.

Discounted Vaccines and Other Health Services for Families

Lots of things change when one or more people in your home lose a job. One of the biggest changes in our home is health insurance. We don’t have any. That can be frightening when you have a child. It’s even more frightening when your child plays sports.

What I’m about to share with you is information I found while researching a different topic. If your family needs medical services and you either have no insurance or high deductible insurance, I hope you can benefit from these programs.

Vaccinations

They aren’t just for school aged kids anymore. The Texas Legislature now requires students entering college in Texas to have a Meningitis Vaccine. School age kids must be up to date on all of their vaccines to enter school in the fall.

Dallas County charges $10 for the first vaccine and $5 for each additional vaccine for anyone age 18 and under who either doesn’t have health insurance or has insurance that doesn’t cover vaccines. Families eligible for Medicaid and CHIP also qualify for this program. See more information here.

Tarrant County charges $14 for one immunization and $25 for two or more, for anyone age 19 and under. See more information here.

Ellis County offers an indigent health program. See details here.

Discounted Prescriptions, Labs and Imaging in Dallas County

Print a FREE prescription card from the Dallas County Health and Human Services website to get discounts up to 65% off prescriptions. Disclaimer: I did not receive even close to that much of a discount, but my prescription also has no generic, and that could make a difference. Information for discount labs and imaging is also available at the above link for the prescription card. For testing of major diseases that pose a public health concerns, click here. Dallas County also offers well child exams for children from birth to age five for just $5.

Screening for Breast and Cervical Cancer in Tarrant County

Tarrant County provides screening for Breast and Cervical Cancer at its main campus. Families must meet certain poverty guidelines to qualify. For example, a family of four must make a gross income of $46,100 or less. Screening is available for women age 18 and up. See more information here.

For more detailed information about what health services your county offers, Google the Health and Human Services Department of the country where you live (i.e. Dallas County Health and Human Services). These programs are designed to help take care of people who are having difficulty finding affordable healthcare. If you qualify, take advantage of these services.

If you have been denied insurance because of a pre-existing condition, or have not had access to health insurance for at least six months, click here for affordable options.

 

Five Dates for $5 or Less

When is the last time you and your spouse had a date? Yes, I said date. You know, that thing that happens when two married people spend time together with no kids?

It’s a foreign concept for me, too, especially since my husband lost his job. My family is living in safe mode right now. We buy absolutely nothing that we don’t need. When my husband and I sat down yesterday to discuss what we might do together when our son visit his grandparents, we had to get creative. Here are five things we came up with:

1. Spend the Day Outside

Go hiking, biking, swimming or do some other out door activity that doesn’t cost anything. If you live near a lake, go fishing off the bank. Play Frisbee in the park. Fly a kite. When you get hot, go for slushies or another cool beverage from a convenience store.

2. See a Movie

We can rent a movie from Redbox – two or three if I get an e-mail code for $.50 cents a movie over the weekend. Wal-Mart has individual size boxes of movie candy for under a dollar, and we have popcorn at home. We can also head to the dollar movie and take our own snacks.

3. Game Night

When we first met, we would play board games and listen to 70s music. That was the music that was popular when we were growing up. Listening to it brought back all kinds of memories about our upbringing that we could share to learn more about each other. Grab a game out of the closet, put on your favorite music, turn the phones off and enjoy each other’s company.

4. Have a Meal Out

Where can you share a meal for $5? Anywhere, when you cook it at home and bring it with you. Cook an inexpensive pasta dish or casserole and a dessert. Pack it in a basket or cooler with nice plates, linen napkins, real glasses, a table cloth and a favorite beverage. Take it to a nice quiet place away from home to have your meal out. Perhaps there is a quiet, shaded area in a nearby park. Maybe there is a large oak tree somewhere in your town or a gazebo where you can set up a card table and chairs. You might even consider using the patio or deck of friends who are on vacation.

5. Go for ice cream

It may be the last great American treat you can buy two people for under $5. Get it in downtown Dallas, then take a free ride on the McKinney Avenue Trolley or go window shopping.

Bonus Idea

If you have a telescope, set up a tent in your back yard, wait ‘til it gets dark and star gaze.

Dates don’t have to be expensive, as long as you are having fun and spending time together. What are some of your favorite dates that cost little or not money? Leave a comment and let’s continue the discussion.

 

What to do When You Can’t Pay the Bills

Have you ever thought about what would happen if you couldn’t pay your bills? You may already be in that position, or maybe you’ve been there before. I know I have. It’s beyond uncomfortable. In fact, it’s downright scary. The first thing you need to do is take a deep breath. There is help.

Believe it or not, most places are willing to work with you if you contact them to let them know you are having financial difficulties. These companies have bills to pay, too, and they would rather get their money from you over a longer period of time than never get it at all.

If you can’t pay some of your bills, first figure out how much money you have. Then, add up all your bills and see how much you will still owe after you pay what you can. The next step is deciding which ones to pay.

I would start with the electric bill, which is often the largest bill during the summer in Texas. Contact your electric company and let them know you can’t pay your entire electric bill. See if they have any assistance programs available or if they can put you on a payment plan. Don’t just settle for averaging billing, which makes your bill the same amount all year long. That doesn’t help if you can’t pay it in the first place.

If they won’t help, and you live in Dallas County, contact the county’s heat hotline at 214.819.6001 and ask for help. The county also offers a Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program to qualified residents. Contact your other utility companies – water, phone, etc. – to see if they can help you, as well. Your phone company may be able to put you on a cheaper plan.

Loans and credit cards bills are a little different. If you don’t pay them, your credit score will suffer and you could lose your home or car. A bad credit score could keep you from obtaining car insurance, renting an apartment or getting any other loans.

If you really can’t pay the bill, contact the lender and let them know. Tell them you want to be a responsible customer and repay the money, then ask them if there is a way they can help until you get back on your feet. Often, mortgage companies are willing to move one or two payments to the end of your loan term. Auto lenders may do that, as well. If not, they may extend your due date until your next pay check. Some lenders will offer a work out loan, which simply helps you work through your financial difficulties while still paying something toward your loan.

What you absolutely should NOT do is ignore your bills. When bill collectors can’t get in touch with you and you get behind on your payments, they assume you abandoned them. Contact them first, and more often than not, they will do what they can to help you pay them back.

Free and Cheap Indoor Activities for Kids This Summer

School has been out for a few days now. Are your kids bored yet? Filling summer days with inexpensive activities can be tough. Here are some ideas for keeping your kids occupied without killing your budget.

Free Weekly Entertainment and/or Movies

Most local libraries offer some type of weekly entertainment and/or free movies for children, which coincide with their summer reading programs. A quick Google search of libraries in Garland, Richardson, Carrollton, Dallas, Mesquite, Rockwall and Rowlett revealed some really fun activities for kids. In most cases, you do not need a library card to participate. Stop by your local library or Google your library’s website for details.

Play Areas at Fast Food Restaurants

McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, some Burgers Kings and other fast food restaurants in the DFW Metroplex have free play areas for children. They are there to get you to buy food, but you don’t actually have to purchase food to use them. If you feel guilty, buy a kid size ice cream cone for each child. The cost is less than a dollar per child and you get hours of indoor play for your kids. Many of those places also have free Wi-fi for parents.

Local Fire Station

Kids love fire stations and fire fighters love visitors. Call to schedule a visit for a group of friends. If it’s just you and your kids, you usually can just show up at your local fire station and ring the door bell. Try to bring a plate of cookies or maybe even a casserole to thank the firefighters for their time.

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse

Cinemark theaters around the country are offering a different summer movie every week for 10 weeks. Most of them are at least six months old, but you can see them for as low as $.50 cents per person. All shows are rated G or PG. Find a theater near you for dates and times.

Dollar Movie Theaters

These movies usually are more recent than the ones shown by the Cinemark movie club. Many go directly to a dollar movie theater when they leave the major cinemas. A lot of dollar theaters have a specific day of the week when they offer movies for less than $1. Here are a few dollar cinemas in the Dallas area.

Cinemark Hollywood USA Movies 15 on Shiloh Road in Garland

Starplex Mesquite Cinemas 10 in just down the road from our branch on Belt Line Road

Cinemark Movies 10 on Coit Road in Plano

Starplex Irving Cinemas 10 on Pioneer Road

 

Kids Bowl Free

Kids get two free games of bowling every day at participating bowling centers. Shoe rental is extra. Register your children at kidsbowlfree.com. Your free coupons will be e-mailed to you every Sunday through August.

What do you do to fill the summer days for your kids without spending a lot of money. Leave a comment and let’s continue the conversation.

 

Inexpensive Home Remedies to Soothe Your Sun Burn

Even though the official start of summer is still about three weeks away, the number of people in area lakes and pools this past Memorial Day weekend was a strong indication that summer activities are in full swing in North Texas. Of course, when you’re out in the Texas sun, you risk getting a sun burn, even when you wear sun screen. I would be one of those people. At least I was yesterday.

I normally am covered in SPF 50 because of my tendency to fry like bacon. Yesterday, I must have gotten distracted, and my legs are paying for it today. After about an hour in the sun, I could feel my legs cooking. I did apply sun screen many times, but it was apparently too late.

Once our skin gets to a certain temperature, it continues to cook, even when we remove it from the heat. That is why the burn sometimes looks even worse the next day. If this happens to you and you need relief, do not spend a lot of money on creams or ointments. Use these items that are already in your home. I have not tested all of these personally, but if you already have them in your home, you have nothing to lose by trying them.

Cold Compress

This is as easy as soaking washcloths in cold water and setting them on the burnt parts of your skin. For deeper burns, put the wet washcloths in the freezer first to let them get extra cold. When they get dry or warm, repeat and reapply.

Vinegar

Pour white vinegar or apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle and spray directly on the sun burn. Let the vinegar air dry. Do not pat it or wipe it with a towel.

Mustard

It makes sense that if vinegar works, mustard should, too. I decided to experiment with this one, and it works fabulously. I applied it like lotion and the sting went away instantly. My leg also feels cooler, which tells me it removing the heat from the burn. Now I just need my husband to stop telling me I smell like a hot dog.

Tea

Make an extra strong pot of tea, then ice it down with the tea bags still in it. When the tea is completely cold, you can either apply the tea bags to the burnt area or soak washcloths in the cold tea and apply them to your sun burn.

Tomatoes

I am told the acid from the tomatoes is what takes the sting out of the burn. Cut a tomato and it rub on the burn, cut side down.

Cucumbers

I don’t know if cucumbers take the sting away, but they are a natural cooling agent that will help remove the heat from the burn. Just apply cucumber slices to the burnt areas.

What other home remedies do you use to soothe your skin after a day in the hot sun? Please leave a comment here and let’s continue the discussion so all members can benefit from the information.

 

Cell Phone Apps That Help You Save Money

The evolution of the cell phone can do wonders for your budget. No, phones aren’t always cheap, but look at it this way. If your mobile carrier is going to require you to have a data package, you might as well use it to your advantage. Here are some apps that can help you save money:

RedLaser --lets you shop smarter, faster and cheaper. Use it to compare prices on the same item at multiple locations by scanning the barcode on the package. Select whether you want price comparisons from local stores or whether you want online price comparisons, too. If you don’t have to by it immediately, and the online price is that much better, buy it online. Or, if you find a better price at a nearby store, purchase it online and have it waiting for you when you get there. If it’s a food item you are searching for, RedLaser also will provide information on allergens. Available on iPhones, Windows and Android phones.

Cellfire is digitizing the coupon craze. Are you tired of spend hours clipping coupons only to forget them when you head to the store. Search for and store coupons on your phone or load them to your store club card. When it’s time to pay the cashier, present your store card or your mobile phone to use the coupon. It will be taken off your total instantly. Use Cellfire for entertainment discounts, as well. Available for just about any phone on the market.

The magic of Groupon has gone mobile. Now, get daily deals through the Groupon mobile app. The mobile app often gives deals not available from the Groupon website. Available for just about any phone on the market.

The Coupons app puts coupon savings at your fingertips. Find coupon savings and shopping deals at your favorite stores, restaurants and even gas stations. Plus, find the cheapest gas prices near wherever you happen to be. The Coupons app also offers daily deals. Available on Android and iPhones.

Tired of toting around a keychain full of barcodes for every store where you have a loyalty card? CardMobili, is a smartphone app that lets you store your cards and coupons. Simply flash your phone at checkout. Available on most smartphones.

What are some of your favorite apps for saving money or time? Please leave a comment so all members of our credit union family can benefit from the information.

 

Larger Isn’t Always Cheaper, Cheaper Isn’t Always Better

When I was growing up, my mom always bought the biggest package of everything – cereal, laundry detergent, peanut butter, etc. Back then, it was pretty much a given that you got more for your money by purchasing the “economy” size. Today, that’s not always true. Larger isn’t always cheaper, and cheaper isn’t always better. That is never more apparent than when I send my husband to the store (and you’re about to see why those trips are as infrequent as possible).

My husband loves to shop the meat counter of a grocery store. He’s always looking for something to smoke or grill. I can’t tell you how many times he has come home with a piece of meat that was “on sale.” He didn’t look at factors like fat content, which determines how much the meat shrinks, or the price per pound, which sometimes is insanely high. As with most things, it’s not necessarily the flat price you have to look out. With food, it’s the price per pound, ounce or other unit measure. With sheets, it’s the thread count. With clothes, it’s many things, including the quality of fabric.

When you look at shopping in those terms, you learn very quickly that bigger is not always cheaper. Last week, I needed laundry detergent. I’m not loyal to a brand so much as I am to anything with no dyes and perfumes. When comparing two different sizes and brands, I realized that by purchasing four smaller bottles, I was get a whole lot more soap for a lot less money and still paying less overall. I did the same thing with cereal. When I compared the sale price, per ounce, of the smaller size box to the price per ounce of the larger size box, it was cheaper to buy two smaller boxes. Sometimes it works the opposite way. Most of the time, the stickers on the stores shelves give you a price per ounce, even on the sale sticker or signs. Otherwise, do the math. I remember shopping for peanut butter once and learning that the sale price on the largest jar (which happened to a good price for that size), still was not cheaper than buying two smaller jars.

How does this translate to clothes? I have learned that you get what you pay for, most of the time. In other words, if you’re not willing to spend a little more, you may be compromising quality. Compromised quality means your garments may not last as long. Of course, sometimes you’re paying more for the brand name. Ms. Me jeans are often $100 or more. Does that make them better than the significantly cheaper brands like Levis or Old Navy? That’s when you have to look at fabric quality and thickness to make that determination. If the only thing redeeming about a pair of jeans are their name, you may want to save your money.

Being a bargain shopper means finding the best value, which often is different than the best price. Look at the unit size or the quality of something to make that determination.

 

Denial Can Be Expensive

My son’s teacher sat down next to me the other day and said something that still makes me cringe. She told me that her husband’s salary had declined significantly over the past three years. During that time, they didn’t want their teenage kids to know, so they continued living the lifestyle they were accustomed to. Both of their children play competitive sports, and in three years, their denial about their financial situation has resulted in a mountain of debt.

My heart hurt for her. It still does, not just because of their financial decline, but because they let something in their control get completely out of control. Please don’t let this happen to you!

As a parent, I am a firm believer that your kids should not have to deal with adult problems. That doesn’t mean you can’t be honest with them in a way that doesn’t make them worry. My son is eight years old. My husband is out of work. We are not struggling financially, but we also have cut back on things like eating out after church on Sundays and other small luxuries that add up over time. My son also has to limit his summer camp choices this year. If my husband gets a job soon, we may give him more options, but for now, the distance and cost of camps are big factors in determining whether or not he can go.

Even if you don’t have kids, or a spouse for that matter, you have to be honest with yourself about your financial situation. When your income decreases, so should your expenses. If you are using credit cards to buy things you know you can’t pay for any time soon, you are living beyond your means. If you are spending money on entertainment instead of paying your electric bill, you are living beyond your means. Stop now while you still have control over you money. Cut back on luxuries, even if it means seeing the matinee movie instead of the evening movie or stopping for coffee twice a week instead of every day. Shop around for cheaper auto insurance. Drink tap water instead of bottled water. Those small expenses will save you more than you think.

Last summer, my sister-in-law was complaining that she and my brother can’t afford to take a vacation with their kids. She was telling me this in the car while she was picking up her daily cup of ice coffee for $2.65. Yes. She even buys it on weekends. A year’s worth of coffee costs her $967.25, plus the cost of gas to drive back and forth every day. That’s her vacation, and she doesn’t see it.

If this sounds like you, don’t let denial steal your financial freedom. Be honest with yourself and your loved ones while you are still in control of you money. If you don’t, it will end up controlling you.

Should You Save Money or Pay Down Debt?

A lot of people are drowning in debt. They have so much debt that saving money doesn’t even seem possible. I have been there, and I am here to tell you that it is possible to turn it around.

Obviously, paying off your debt is important. If you don’t pay off your debt in a timely manner, you could lose your house, or your car or whatever it is you owe money on. There’s also your credit report. If you default on your loans, it will kill your credit, which could affect your ability to buy a house, rent an apartment, secure car insurance or even get a job. You have to pay your debt, but does that mean you can’t also save?

I am a product of the Dave Ramsey approach for building wealth while beating your debt. His method includes seven baby steps. The first one is saving $1,000 for an emergency fund while continuing to make the minimum payment on your debt - even if you can only save $10 a pay check. Here’s why.

If you pay down your debt but have nothing saved for emergencies, what will you do when an unexpected expense like a car repair or health scare? Mostly likely, you’ll charge it on the credit card you’ve been working so hard to pay off. An emergency fund helps you avoid that.

There are other schools of thought that believe you should focus on paying off your debt first, because in most cases your debt costs you more money than your savings makes you. Many credit cards have interest rates higher than 20 percent APR. In today’s economy, you’re lucky to earn as much as one percent APY on a typical savings or money market account. Of course, if you only make the minimum payment and your debt is substantial, it will take decades to pay off your debt. If you decide to focus on debt first, be sure to pay more than the minimum payment on your loans and credit cards.

Deciding whether to save money or pay down debt is a very personal decision. Unfortunately, we can’t make that decision for you. We can, however, give you tools and advice that help you make the decision that is best for you. Start with our online education center for personal finance called BalanceTrack. You will find all kinds of information on just about any topic related money. Next, check out our BALANCE program, designed specifically to help you break the debt cycle.

NCU is here to help, but we know there are lots of other resources out that. How have paid down your debt while saving money? Please leave a comment so others can benefit from your information.