The two most precious metals most often used in jewelry are silver and gold, but any parent would argue that their children are far more precious than any alloy. Ensuring the health and well-being of their child is at the forefront of most parents’ minds, but often, the costs of childcare can make families’ lives a real struggle. It’s not surprising, then, that more parents are ditching the nanny and even the daycare center and are relying on the people that raised them to help shoulder the burden of childcare.
All across the United States, more grandparents are taking on a significant role in caring or even rearing their grandchildren. Although one-third of young children receive care from a non-relative on a regular basis, many other kids are cared for by their kin. The reasons for this could be chalked up to a number of things, but it’s often because the cost of living — and of raising a child — has gone up. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s breakdown of child-rearing costs shows that it now costs $13,290 a year to raise one child, which adds up to $233,610 just to ensure they get to college. When the USDA started tracking these expenses in 1960, it cost only $11,883 per year — still a significant amount, but it equates to an extra $31,000 by the time a child reaches the age of 18.
And what really breaks a family’s budget more than the costs of food or clothing is that of childcare. Most mothers stayed at home in 1960, so the costs of childcare then were quite low; they equated to only 2% of a household’s total income. But by 1995, childcare costs accounted for 9% of household incomes, or nearly $10,000 annually. And during the following two decades, those expenditures grew significantly. Childcare is now the third-largest household expense, accounting for 16% of the budget or nearly $38,040 throughout the child’s life. And while low-income families are more likely to rely on grandparents for care, it’s still a situation that can impact almost anyone regardless of socioeconomic class.
In the U.S., the number of custodial grandparents — those who take on the primary responsibility of raising their grandchildren — are on the rise. Nearly 2.9 million Americans can be considered custodial grandparents, with 67% of them being under the age of 60. But while many grandparents are all too glad to spend more time with their grandkids and help out their families during retirement, it’s important to note that these caregiving situations can take a toll. Whether they’re a stand-in for daycare or are the primary guardian, grandparents who take on this responsibility may experience significant physical and mental health issues as a result of the strain.
That’s why it’s important for parents to maintain a healthy relationship with the grandparents when these situations come into play. Before asking your or your spouse’s parents to take on a caregiver role, you must have an honest discussion about whether they’ll be paid for their services and whether you’ll be responsible for providing additional supplies your children need. Even if they refuse to accept monetary payment, you may be able to barter and pay them back with help around the house or the yard. You’ll also need to establish a set schedule, just like with any caregiver, and set boundaries and rules that your children need to follow. This can cut down on resentment and the “urge to spoil.” Be sure to keep the lines of communication open, check in on a regular basis, and put any terms in writing to put everyone’s minds at ease. And of course, it’s essential to make sure that the house and the vehicles are safe and that your children’s grandparents are mentally and physically able to care for them.
Some families may not find it easy to ask for help caring for their kids. But statistics show that this scenario is more common than ever. As long as you respect your parents’ commitment and don’t take advantage, this childcare setup may be a welcome option that will allow your children to bond with their grandparents and add some breathing room into your budget.

So, you want to start flipping houses. You’ve seen every episode of every home renovation show on HGTV and now you think you’re ready to get into the business. Well, people have jumped into businesses with far less and it’s not to say you couldn’t do it, but there are a few things that you should realize before you do.

House flipping isn’t as easy as people make it seem on TV, and investing in real estate can be a risky game. If you’re still adamant about flipping your first house, then here are a few tips to help you do it.

Find the money

Everything comes down to the money, right? That is especially true in real estate when the investments are much greater and the risks are potentially higher. However, you don’t need to have the capital on hand to make a purchase and you can take out a real estate investment loan to handle the brute of the financial costs. There is a downside to doing so, which is if you don’t make the return you were expecting. For instance, if you took out a loan for $155,000 (which is the median property price that investors purchased in 2017) and put in $30,000 of your own money but you only got a return of $120,000, then you’d still need to pay the bank back the total of their loan plus any interest, meaning you’d have suffered a substantial loss. There are really two ways to finance a house flip: using your own capital for the majority of the expenses or taking out a loan for the majority of the expenses. Each has its own drawbacks and benefits, so you’ll need to evaluate your financials before choosing which route to take.

Buy at the best price

You shouldn’t just impulsively choose which property to invest in because you can end up making a huge mistake. That means you’ll have to pay attention to the housing market and identify trends in your target area so that you can buy a house well under market value. Even if the market value of a home is at an all-time low and you can stand to make a pretty penny by just sitting on it, flipping is all about what you can do to the house. So when looking for your first investment property, choose one that is below market value and that you can make significant upgrades to in order to drive up the value and price. In other words, you wouldn’t want to buy a nice condo in Manhattan, which went for an average sale price of $1.9 million in the third quarter of 2017, for a house flip. Choose properties that can be improved and sold for a solid return.

Get a good team

If you expected to do everything yourself, then you’re in for a pretty disappointing surprise. You’d need to be a licensed real estate agent, real estate attorney, contractor, and accountant. Since you’re probably not all of those things, you need to hire a team to help you out. There are some investors who double as agents or contractors, but you don’t need to be in order to have a successful flip. You should consider hiring the following professionals when assembling your house flipping team:

• Attorney: handles all legal aspects, permits, contracts, etc.
• Real estate agent: helps you purchase and sell the house.
• Contractor: does all of the construction work.
• Landscaper: designs the layout of the property.
• Accountant: your financial guru.
• Architect: designs the infrastructure of the house itself.

You might find it helpful to have other people on your team, such as an investment partner or someone to help you with the planning. If you’re listing the house right after your build, consider also hiring an interior decorator to help stage the home.

Know the game

As it was mentioned before, investing in real estate is a game with incredible risk. That’s why it’s important to have as much knowledge as possible going into your flip. Your timeframe is a big aspect that most people forget to account for and taking too long on a house can equate to a loss on your return. Not only could you miss your sell window but you’re accruing expenses in labor, materials, permit renewals, and equipment. A job site trailer, for instance, will last for five years at most and while you might not take five years for a build, it’s important to understand that everything has an expiration date, including your flip. Creating a timeline and sticking to it should be an integral part of your business plan (and you should definitely create a business plan).

It might be worth mentioning that not all house flips are for profit or are at least not intended to make a profit. With one-fifth of the world’s migrants living in the United States as of 2017 and countless underprivileged citizens, there is always a need for affordable housing. Consider flipping for the good of your community and the benefit of your neighbors. You can still make your money back and you’re doing a good thing for other people.

No matter your intentions or your skill level, applying these tips to your future of house flipping can help you be successful.

Everytime I get on the internet now I feel like I see some brilliant new company totally shaking up an old industry. And while I always stare wistfully at the articles, wishing I knew enough to get on board, I’ve never really done anything about it – until now. A while ago I decided it was time to review my home insurance. Not my favorite task, but it’s become a lot easier since I started using Clearsurance. Clearsurance is a website that collects reviews from people about their insurance company and uses the data it gathers to create unbiased rankings of insurance companies, both by state and nationally for 2018. The detailed breakdown helps you compare companies and find coverage that’s actually the best deal for your location and history.

Being able to get honest feedback about different companies on Clearsurance has totally boosted my confidence. Instead of fumbling through trying to pick a carrier, I can make an informed decision about what’s best for me, based on a bunch of factors about my life! And here’s where it gets even better: All those new-age companies I’ve always felt so timid about trying, now I can check them out with confidence. And some of them are incredible, using technology in exciting new ways to save people money.

Take Mercury, for example. Based in Los Angeles, California, this company helps cover car, homeowners or renters insurance in 13 states. From their reviews, customers are happy with how easy it is to find an affordable rate for any need. One customer said, “Very quick and positive response. Great company! Their price is reasonable and they offer nice discounts.” You can leave a review on this page. I’ll just be over here stalking the comments.

Mercury Insurance Group also offers multiple discounts for smoke alarms, burglar alarms and other safety devices. I took a few seconds to look around and find some of the most innovative, affordable, and highly rated insurance companies of 2018.

What other new-age insurance companies are changing the game?

If you’re looking for a company with a cause, Lemonade, is an incredible option. They offer homeowner’s and renter’s insurance powered by smart AI, and are highly rated on Clearsurance. People who have used Lemonade rated them 4.67/5. For contrast, Geico only has a rating of 4.23. And while I love getting the hard numbers, I always come back to those genuine personal reviews, which Clearsurance has too! One customer shared their experience with the company, writing “

Reviewing the Lemonade page on Cleasurance, I can absolutely see what this user was talking about. The company is transparent, with a goal of creating social good. They take a flat 20 percent fee out of your insurance premiums and use the rest of it to pay claims. Lemonade takes the extra money after it pays claims and donates it to nonprofit charities that its policyholders choose. That’s exactly the kind of passion I love about these bold new companies. They know we care, and they wield cool new technology to help us spend our money more efficiently while still giving back.

Then there’s Root, with a nearly perfect user rating on Clearsurance. They use a pre-insurance tracking phase to decide whether to insure you, and because they learn so much about their customers, they can offer much better deals than a run-of-mill insurance company.

A couple other standouts for me: Metromile and Clearcover. These are both car insurance companies. Metromile is rated highly on Clearsurance and offers the unique option of pay per mile insurance. I’d definitely consider this company if I put fewer miles on my car! Clearcover also offers an unconventional approach to insurance. They’re a startup on a mission to trim the unnecessary costs of auto insurance. They’re currently only offering car insurance in California, but they’re a company I’ll be keeping an eye on.

Clearsurance has been such a great resource for me as I navigate insuring all of the important things I own. When I’m not checking the ratings page or lurking through the customer reviews, I’m over on their blog, finding helpful tips for navigating the insurance industry – most of the time, they’re things I never would have thought to ask! If you’ve used an insurance company, I really recommend leaving a review for them on Clearsurance.

You’ve been driving for years and the worst you’ve had to experience was a parking ticket, until now. You were driving through an intersection in your trusty car and someone ran the red light and t-boned you. Your car, which has gotten you through thick and thin throughout your driving history, is in pretty bad shape.

Typically, in these situations, your safety comes first. If you were injured in a car accident at the fault of another, then you could see a $16,000 check coming your way, which is the median award for motor vehicle personal injury cases. If you’re not injured, then you are definitely worried about your car.

What happens now?

After your accident, you should file an insurance claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer. The insurance company will then determine how much to compensate you for the damage. Although, if your car has extensive damage that will ultimately cost more to repair than it is to keep on the road, the insurance company will deem your ride a total loss.

What to do with a totaled car?

You have a few options when deciding what to do with your totaled car, and you may not like any of them.

1. Take the money: The insurance company will determine how much money your car is worth, and then estimate how much the damages will cost. If the damages outweigh the worth, then the insurance company will just write you a check for the car’s value. If you paid for your car under market value, then you might get more for the car than what you paid. However, if your car is older then you might not get much at all, usually not enough to pay for a new ride.
2. Fix it: In some cases, an insurance company will deem your car a total loss even if it only has a minor scratch, because the cost of repair would be greater than the car’s worth. In these situations, it might be worth keeping the car if you know it is a trustworthy vehicle, and either fixing the minor damages or dealing with a less-than-perfect car. The national average for car repairs is $356.04, but a new paint job could cost you in the thousands. If it’s a junker that you take to work, then it might be worth dealing with a few scratches.
3. Junk it: More often than not, you won’t get as much for selling your car to a scrap yard than what the insurance company offers you. However, it’s always a good idea to check and see what your offers are. You might be able to strip the car and or use the car for one of your hobbies.
4. Donate it: Your loss could be someone else’s gain, especially to those that don’t have much. There are twice as many bicycles in the world as there are cars (over one billion bicycles). If you can manage on two wheels for a bit, then consider donating your car to charity.

You might find there is another option as well, one that is specific to just you.

Car accidents aren’t a fun experience, and dealing with the insurance company can make it that much worse. Just remember that you have options and it’s important to explore them before taking the check. Once you do, your ride is no longer yours.

If you’re a mom, you know how hard it can be to find the time to work and take care of your kids. You may find yourself in need of child care as well as extra income for your family. This can be difficult to find, especially in many traditional fields.

Today, the average working person changes jobs 10 to 15 times over the course of their career. It may be time for you to change jobs, too, working mama. There are jobs out there that offer flexibility so you can still bring in the cash flow and take care of your kids. Here are three of those that would be great for any working mom.

Tutor

Whether you were good at math or history back in school, there are children out there in need of a tutor in a multitude of subjects. The great part about tutoring is that you can schedule your own appointments, and even invite the pupils into your home so you don’t have to leave your kids. Tutoring can even take place online, and tutors can earn anywhere from $10 to $20 an hour.

Web Developer

With so many job applications occurring on smartphones and electronic devices, this job is in a particularly high demand. While some web developers work at large corporations or even government agencies, most of them work from home. According to The Balance, the median pay for a web developer is $66,130 a year.

Tour Contributor

If you’re like many moms out there, you’re constantly watching HGTV, and that means this job is a perfect match for you. You get to take house tour pictures of houses that are on the market, and write a description for them. Typically, the average post requires JPEG images, descriptive captions, floor plans, and three short introductory paragraphs.

Finding a new career being a mom can be challenging, but it’s all about finding your passion. We live in a world where you can still work and take care of your kids, and that’s amazing. Remember that the possibilities are endless, you just have to find the right fit for you and your family.