The holidays will be here before you know it, here are a few simple ways to earn cash for little pleasures and goodies for yourself and your family. 

You won’t get rich with these money-generating ideas, but you can take the results to the bank (even if it’s only your piggy bank):
    • Sell photos to stock photo websites. Stock photography sites offer generic photos of landscapes, animals, and other nonspecific subjects to designers and publishers. Go through your travel photos or your pictures of Fluffy, Fido and great scenery, then check out sites like istockphoto.com and shutterstock.com.

• Sell your books. Go through your bookshelves. Are you hanging on to your old college textbooks? Be realistic when setting prices, are you really going to read A Tale of Two Cities ever again? You can sell books online or try a local second-hand bookshop. If you have enough books you can have a garage sale–get your bookaholic friends involved and set up your own book space in the yard.  

• Sign up for consumer focus groups. Corporations and nonprofits doing market research need opinions from regular people. Make yourself available for focus groups, and you could earn $50 to $100 or so for an hour or two of sharing your thoughts and reactions to ideas. And don’t forget those online survey’s,  MyPoints.com is one of the best, your points add up quickly and you are never added to odd lists.

Why fight over shadows?

There is a fable about a wealthy man who hired a peasant and his camel for a long trip across the desert. The rich man rode the camel while the peasant led it across the dry sands.

In the hot noonday sun, they stopped for a rest. Since there was no shade but the camel, they began arguing about who had more of a right to sit in the camel’s shadow: the peasant who owned the camel, or the rich man who had rented the camel to ride.

Their voices grew louder and louder as the argument and shouting went on. The camel began to get jittery and anxious because of the loud voices of the men. Finally, the camel became so frightened, he ran away –leaving both men stranded in the middle of the burning desert without any shade at all.

Moral of story: Don’t let yourself get so determined to be right that you lose what you’re fighting for.

Does your child have first day of school jittters? Do you?

Hopefully, you have been talking to your child about the first day of school and how exciting it will be. Well, maybe not so exciting for you as you dress your little one, holding back tears with a really big grin on your face. Not too big though, kids are smart. For most school starts in September, so you still have a couple of weeks to practice smiling and being cheerful about your baby taking that first step away from the nest.

    Here are some things you and your child can do to he lp make this transition smoother:

Two weeks before

.  Make a cute calendar with countdown days.  Any plain calendar page will do or make your own, show the daya/date and add small graphics; Smilies are fun to use. Try this site http://www.clicksmilies.com/ or check out one that is similar. When you find a site you like, print the page of smilies and let your child cut them out paste on a I’m a Big Girl/Boy calendar. Later you can keep the calendar as a keepsake.

• Start practicing with the alarm clock. Send your kids to bed at their regular school-night time, and start getting them up early. Explain that everyone needs to adjust to a new schedule.

• Practice the school bus run. Describe the bus route for your children, including where the bus goes and how long it takes to get to school. Talk about what they can do on the bus to occupy their time.

• Take a tour of the school. Make arrangements with the school, and show your children their classrooms, the cafeteria, and bathrooms.

The day before
• Lay your child’s school clothes out. With your child, select outfits for the first week so there’s no anxiety about clothes in the morning.

• Pack up the night before. Get your children’s books, lunch money, and school supplies ready to go before they go to bed.

• Send your child to school with a photo. A family photo or a reassuring note in a child’s lunch can help ease separation anxiety.

The first day
• Send a note to the teacher? This is a definate ‘maybe.’ This lets children introduce themselves to their new teacher. Talk about what they like to play and their favorite foods. Make this a short note. Remember, short note. You may want to include a picture. When your childs teacher calls him or her by name, there will be an instant bond.

• Get them on the bus. If your children will be taking the bus to school, don’t drive them the first day, wait with them for the school bus. Help them get used to the trip right away.

• Remember bus numbers. Calm children’s fears by going over the bus number and reminding them that their teachers will make sure they get on the right bus.

Taking care of your parents when their health starts to decline is a huge and time consuming responsibility. Plus, deciding when to offer help isn’t always easy. As we age, many of us don’t want to admit that we can’t take care of ourselves adequately, so don’t expect your parents to admit it either.

    Some signs to watch for when deciding whether an elderly relative or acquaintance is having problems that need to be addressed:

• Weight loss. If the relative isn’t actively trying to lose weight, unexplained weight loss could indicate difficulty cooking (holding utensils, reading recipes), loss of smell or taste, or underlying problems like malnutrition or dementia. With Alzheimer’s a loved one may forget how to hold a utensil or know what it is. Talk, ask questions. Sometimes heavier seasoning may help to tweak an appetite.

• Overall appearance. Take a good look at your aged relatives’ daily hygiene. Are their clothes clean? Do they bathe regularly, brush their teeth, groom themselves? If not, they could be suffering from depression, dementia, or other health problems.

• Mobility. Muscle weakness and joint problems that grow more pronounced with age can limit an elderly person’s mobility and endanger his or her safety. Do they have trouble walking long distances, or seem unsteady on their feet? A fall can be serious, but a cane or a walker can minimize the danger.

• Lifestyle. Pay attention to any loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. Do they still participate in hobbies, listen to music, exercise, and socialize with friends? Physical and mental limitations can be compounded if the person becomes isolated at home.

• Emotional balance. Pay attention to moods. Increased anxiety, sudden mood swings, or lack of interest in activities can be signs of depression or other health concerns.

You should understand that you will not always get the truth when asking questions about health, eating habits and such. Casual and unannounced visits may be necessary to find out what you need to know. Also, make it a habit to count pills, if your there were 20 “take two pills in the morning,” on your last visit and 20 pills three days later, something is wrong.

I was surprised to learn that Father’s Day in the US was not a permanent national holiday until 1972, when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972. I (my family) have always celebrated Father’s Day and gave my dad, ties, hankies or scarves every year. Since my dad had a clean handkerchief every day I assume that these were appreciated and used often.

The “mother” of Father’s Day was Sonora Smart Dodd, according to historians. The daughter of a widowed Civil War veteran who had raised her on his own, Dodd came up with the idea when listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. She held her own special tribute for her father on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington. She began a campaign for an official celebration soon after.

President Calvin Coolidge expressed support for the holiday in 1919, and in 1926 a National Father’s Day Committee was formed in New York City to join the campaign. In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a proclamation designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day, however, it wasn’t until 1972 that President Richard Nixon officially recognized it as a national holiday.

As with Mother’s Day, the official flower of Father’s Day is the rose: red for fathers who are still living, and white for fathers who have passed away.

See cute article about sit-com dads: A history of TV’s most famous dads

Summer’s here, and that usually means it’s time to hit the road for a vacation.  

  Whether your idea of relaxation involves rock climbing or lounging by the pool, you can enjoy a stress-free trip (or at least minimize the hassles) with some basic planning:

• Involve your children. Whether you’re traveling with toddlers or teenagers, get them engaged in the preparations. Asking them what they want to see and do, and incorporating their wishes as much as possible, will lead to a smoother experience.

• By Air–pick your time/follow new rules. Flight delays and crowded airplanes rarely improve the quality of your trip. When flying, your best bet is to travel Monday through Wednesday, early in the day. Fly direct if possible to cut the chances of your luggage getting lost (or having to drag your carry-ons from one end of the airport to the other). Make sure you have checked airline rules and regulations. Follow all directives etc., to the Nth degree.

• By car or rail–pack some snacks. Kids and adults get cranky when they’re hungry. Carry along something healthy to eat: granola bars, raisins or other dried fruit, peanut butter crackers, and treats for when you or your kids need something special.

• While away–schedule downtime. Don’t try to cram too many activities into the day. Rushing through one museum to get to the next one, and the one after that, will quickly grow exhausting. Allow some time to relax, watch TV, read, or take a leisurely stroll. A afternoon nap while on vacation is the ultimate treat for me. 

• Don’t allow drastic change to normal routine. For small children specially, maintaining some elements of a regular routine will keep things running smoothly. Bedtimes, regular meals, and normal rules of behavior provide a comforting sense of structure. If you normally read at night, bring a book or two.

• Prepare to be flexible. Expect delays and mishaps, so they don’t stress you out. Break the schedule when something more interesting comes up. If you want to spend more time in a museum that intrigues you, do it. You may not have the chance again.

If you belong to any group at some point you may be asked to become involved in the groups’ fundraising activities. Cookies, candy, calendars, gift wrap, spices, you name it. 

  If you have children it is almost a given that you will be expected to help your kid sell goodies. You may end up doing a lot of the selling yourself, at work. Be sure you know and obey the rules of selling at work; if there if a no soliciting policy in place take care to follow those rules. If you are allowed to sell in the workplace, do so quietly, do not turn off co-workers by being intrusive and annoying.  And remember that your job comes first.

Here are some tactful ways of selling in the workplace:

1. Don’t announce your fundraising efforts via office e-mail. Office equipment should be used only for business.

2. Pick and choose to whom you’ll make a personal appeal. Enlist the support of interested parties and people who’ve been helpful before.

3. Use central locations to post sign-up sheets and flyers. Try the office kitchen during non-lunch hours or public bulletin boards.

4. Thank supporters. After the fundraising drive, buy them a box of doughnuts or bagels. Show them you really appreciate their contribution to your child’s efforts.

5. Get your child to write thank-you notes. A short note of appreciation to all your co-workers who contributed goes a long way toward building support in the future.

We know they know who we are, but they also know what we buy, and when and how regular we buy it. And of course they know where we shop, so will you get a slap if you shop bargain basement?

I have known, for many years why you are often asked for your zip code when using your credit card, but until a couple of years ago had no idea that where you used your credit card was important. Since becoming aware of this, I have changed my credit card shopping tactics. I am not sure when I learned that credit card companies not only watch how much you spend, but where you spend. I now use my American Express in [what I assume are] AMEX worthy stores.

When I go to the mall, I love browsing in the dollar store and often make purchases there. I almost always spend $15 to $20, I mean how can I resist those pretty colored glass jars or that cute wicker basket, I can use it for… If I am low on cash I pop these items on my credit card. But now I use a card that does not have the same value to me as another one does. I don’t want my credit card $$ ceiling lowered because I have a good time in the dollar store. Something to think about the next time you go shopping.

Oh, and if you are offended, embarrassed or just surprised that you receive certain catalogs in the mail, the reason may be a in piece of plastic, your credit card. Shopper lists are often sold or traded.

Are you an online shopper or a hold out? If you are a mall shopper you will notice a few empty stores. While I have no plans to give up mall shopping, I do like the convenience of shopping online, especially comparison shopping. To add to the lure of online shopping, there are coupon sites that give you coupon codes for $$’s off purchases at certain online stores. One such site is Sherpa Coupons, they have compiled this shoppers online information :

• 63 percent of online shoppers are female; mothers are the fastest-growing demographic group.
• Americans spent more than $115 billion online in 2008; some forecasters say online shopping will hit almost $330 billion in 2010, or about 13 percent of total retail sales.
• U.S. consumers aren’t the world’s most prolific online shoppers. South Koreans are, with 99 percent of Internet users in that country making online purchases. Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan run a close second, with the United States at No. 8.
• The most popular online product? Books, followed by clothing, videos and games, airline tickets, and electronic equipment.
• 60 percent of consumers confine their shopping to a single site. The most popular shopping site is Amazon.com.

Sherpa not only gives coupon code information about online shopping; it has a blog and a free weekly coupon newsletter that gives you the 411 on shopping. The site also offers coupons that can be downloaded. I realize that some people are hesitant about using computer printed coupons, for the most part they are trouble-free. I have used them for a couple of stores and have used several for TGI Friday’s without a hitch. However, you should keep in mind that no all stores and restaurants will accept computer printed coupons. You may want to call before you head out with your coupon.

Visit the Sherpa Coupons site. Don’t forget visit its blog and sign up for its newsletter.

When shopping online, check out Sherpa or your favorite coupon code site before you hit the purchase icon, you may save anywhere from five to twenty percent off the final cost. Remember to search as many coupon code sites as possible as the savings vary.  Just type “coupon code” to start saving dollars.

There is a public service announcement on PBS that shows a small child playing, his dad sits watching his boy. The child peaks into a small stack of tires, he runs, he plays. A bigger kid wearing a mask, growls and frightens the child who hightails it back to daddy who opens his arms wide. After a few encouraging words from daddy the child returns to the fun of exploring and having a good time.

  Parents are their child’s safety net and teaching your child to be safe as they grow and explore is one of a parents most important jobs. With so many potential threats to worry about, that can seem overwhelming. So, what can you do to help your kid? For one thing they need to know that it is OK to say “No” and “Stop.” 

• Discuss safety calmly. You want your children to be careful, not terrified. When you talk about safety matters, emphasize that your main concern is their welfare. Listen to their concerns, and answer their questions as clearly and honestly as you can.

• Highlight important information. Be sure your younger children know their home phone number and address, as well as contact information for another relative or trusted adult.

• Don’t just talk about strangers. Let children know they should tell you anytime they’re made uncomfortable by someone’s behavior, even if they know the person well.

• Play “what if?” Rules and advice can be too abstract for young minds to understand. Make it real by asking children what they would do in certain situations: If a stranger tried to get them into a car, for example, or if they got lost in a shopping mall.

• Discuss body issues. Let your children know that no one should be allowed to touch them in personal areas. Teach them what areas you’re talking about, with the proper names, so they can tell you accurately if something happens. The phrase “Just say no” is so appropriate here.  Teach your little one to follow his or her instincts, if a touch feels wrong, it probably is.   

• Listen, listen, listen. Oh, yeh, listen. If your child says I don’t this or that person or does not like the person anymore, find out why. Never insist that people must be liked or tolerated because they are family, etc.