Send a Call From Santa

Know someone who could use a call from Santa? Then you need to check out SendACallFromSanta.com. This site lets you personalize and send a call from Santa to a loved one or friend. It's all free too! I just tried it out for my wife, and it is pretty cool! Go send a call from Santa to someone and brighten their day!

GrowFrame - the growing photo frame

Okay, this is a pretty neat invention. The GrowFrame is a series of photo frames that all basically snap together with magnets, so you can build endless different size and shape photo frames. To get the full effect, you really need to watch the video. For those with kids, it's a great way to show your child's growth over time, as you just keep adding pictures as they age.

The GrowFrame from GrowShow on Vimeo.

Calcmoolator - calculate anything financial

Wondering how the numbers would work out if you stay on unemployment versus get that part time job? Or want to calculate if it's worth buying that more expensive, yet much more efficient car? Well, you can calculate those as well as tons of other things with the Calcmoolator! So, as they put it, "Math is Hard, Calcmoolator is Easy!" So, if your parents or spouse won't let you get a dog because they think it's too expensive, now you can calculate it out and show them exactly what it will cost! Start calculating!

Little Librarian - encourage your little reader

Does your child love going to the library and reading books? Well, now she can take it to the next level. With the Little Librarian kit, she can become her own librarian in her own library! What a great way to encourage reading, and the skills of organizing, sharing, borrowing, and returning. So, if you've got a budding librarian or reading enthusiast in your midst, you need to check this out (and you don't even have to return it or deal with late fees!).

Finance Friday - Life Insurance

Do you have life insurance? Do you even need life insurance? If you're single and have no dependents or family to speak of probably not, but if you have a family that depends on you, you definitely need it. From all the research I've done, here's what I would recommend - a term life insurance policy worth about 10 times your annual salary. This is typically enough to help cover the costs of your burial, paying off the house, covering the kids' colleges, and a few other things to help take the pressure off. And if you're a spouse that does not work? Well, yes, you probably need life insurance too. It's a little harder to calculate how much you would need, but think through what the other spouse would have to pay for if you were gone - childcare costs, etc. Term life insurance is really not that expensive, and it is totally worth it! If you need help calculating it, let me know. I have a spreadsheet that I got from one of my personal finance classes that really helps you put it all together.

Cousins Camp - fostering family ties

Here's a pretty cool idea that I ran across. As many families live far away from each other, cousins don't often get to know each other very well. To foster family ties, work with your family members to create a Cousins Camp. Send your kids (cousins) to one of the family member's house for a few days, have structured activities, and let the kids bond. It also works well to send them to Cousins Camp at the grandparents house. This is a three way win - the cousins get to bond, the grandparents get to bond with their grandchildren, and the parents get much needed time to focus on their relationship with each other. However you do it, this is a great way to keep families close when they live far away!

Pumpkin Patches And More - find one near you

Whether you're looking for a pumpkin patch, corn maze, hay ride, or any other type of Halloween fun, pumpkinpatchesandmore.org is your place to find it. It's not the prettiest looking site, but it has tons of listing all across the US, and 6 other countries (in case you're traveling?). Anyway, take your family on a hayride, enjoy some hot chocolate, and take a pumpkin home to carve. What better way to spend a day with the family!

Finance Friday - Last Will and Testament

Okay, so this one is probably more to motivate myself than for anyone reading this, but, well you all may need some motivation as well. So here's my plan, my wife and I do not have an official Last Will and Testament; yes, I now that's pretty ridiculous considering we have kids. But, anyway, I plan to rectify that this weekend. I heard the other day on the radio from Dave Ramsey about his special deal through US Legal Forms - just go to www.uslegalforms.com/dave. It looks like you can get your Last Will, Living Will, and Power of Attorney for yourself and your spouse for about $44. That sounds pretty reasonable to me. So, the challenge to myself and to those who are in my same boat is to make it happen this weekend! Whether you use US Legal Forms, an attorney, or some other method, just go make it happen!

LEGO Ice Tray - fun for snack time

Everybody knows LEGOs. And if you have a young child, he/she probably has bunches of them strewn all over the house. Well, to make it more fun, you can add this LEGO Ice Tray to your repertoire. It's a creative way to add more fun to snack time drinks, or you could even use it as a candy mold if you want to spice it up a bit. LEGOs aren't just for playtime anymore! 

Finance Friday - Dave Ramsey for kids!

In case you live under a rock, Dave Ramsey is a great financial advice guru who preaches some pretty sound financial advice. But what I want to focus on today is his resources for you kids! It's really never too early to start teaching your kids about money, and Dave Ramsey makes it fun and easy through numerous resources. Check out his kid's area online at Junior's Clubhouse. From online games to books, he has resources for all ages to make learning about money fun and useful!

Finance Friday - the virtual family bank

How would you like to teach your kids a little more about spending wisely, saving patiently, giving thoughtfully, and setting/achieving goals? Well, dang, what parent wouldn't! Lucky for you, FamZoo created a pretty cool Virtual Family Bank that can do all that and more. So, if you need a little help managing the allowance vs. chores relationship, want to track your kids' personal savings goals, or just want to create some family time and teachable moments around money with your kids, then you need to check them out. They have a two-month free trial period, so there's no risk...other than your kids may actually learn some life lessons that will change their lives!

Here's their video that gives you a little more detail.

There's a Monkey in My Chair - help sick kids

Are you looking for a great way to help others and teach your children about the benefits of giving? Consider sponsoring a Monkey! Medical issues aside, one of the hardest things for sick children is feeling disconnected from friends, family, & the outside world. That's where There's a Monkey in My Chair comes in. A large stuffed Monkey quickly becomes a best friend and important link to normalcy. The Monkey will go to school in the sick child's place and in its backpack it can transport notes, cards, pictures, gifts, etc between the child and classmates, providing that essential bond with peers. Brighten a sick child's world with a gift of hope and love!

FIKI Sports - tabletop games like never before

Remember the days of folding a sheet of paper into a triangle and flicking it through your buddy's outstretched fingers to score a field goal? I sure do, and that's why FIKI Sports caught my attention! FIKI - Flick It & Kick It - has taken table top games to a new level, with genunine leather game pieces and a replica playing surface. They have tabletop games for football, hockey, basketball, golf, baseball, and soccer. These games are great for adults and kids alike, especially when they are only about $9-10.

The Bargain Watcher - find consignment sales

Tired of hearing about a great kid's consignment sale AFTER the fact? Or maybe you have a bunch of stuff you want to sell, and you're looking for the next consignment sale near you? Through the "labor of love" of a mom who loves consignment sales came The Bargain Watcher. While the site is mostly limited to the Metro Atlanta area, they are slowly expanding their reach to list consignment sales across the U.S. This weekend alone it lists about 15 consignment sales in Metro Atlanta, so get out there and start buying and consigning!

greatschools - make informed school choices

Are you planning a move sometime soon and want to know which school district to be in? Are you confident you are in a good school district for your children? If you're looking for a great resource to make an informed choice about what elementary, middle or high school to send you child to, then check out greatschools. This site is packed chock full of informative information, so you can make an educated choice about your child's education. Either click the link or type in your zip code in the greatschools widget in the sidebar.  As they put it, "Involved parents. Successful kids."

Stinky Cakes - the perfect gift for a 2nd baby

When your second child comes along, you rarely need a whole lot of the typical "baby stuff." Often, what you really need is LOTS OF DIAPERS. Yet, nobody wants to buy you diapers as a gift - until now! Stinky Cakes has now made it cool to give diapers by layering them with other fun gifts to look like a cake. This is truly a creative twist on a practical gift. Next time you go to a baby shower, think about giving them a practical, yet completely unique, Stinky Cake.

TeachStreet - learn something new today!

Would you like to learn something new today? Maybe take a dance class with your spouse? Learn to play guitar? Or find a private lesson teacher for your daughter? Then you need to check out TeachStreet! They have a great website where you can find local teachers and classes in your area for everything from Electrical Engineering to Piano! Or maybe you have a skill to teach? Then list yourself on the site and teach others what you love; and even make a few dollars while you're at it.

Finance Friday - saving for your child's college

Have you started saving for your child's college? If not, get started TODAY! With college costs rising at more than double inflation, it is increasingly important to start saving early. Whether you choose an ESA or a 529 Plan, just get started! I just opened a 529 for my daughter last night; it took me all of about 10 minutes, and it will alter her future forever! And even if you only put in a few bucks a month, it will add up over time. Just $50 a month could easily be worth over $11,000 in 10 years. Check out SavingforCollege.com for more information about the saving options and where to start. It will be well worth it.

thredUP - exchange kids clothing online

As all parents know, when you have kids, you feel like you are always buying clothes. And the costs can quickly get out of hand as your child grows like a weed. Well, the folks at thredUp have come up with an ingenious solution to help you out! It's an online kids clothing exchange. Simply search their listing for a box of clothes your child's size, pay for the shipping, and it's on its way to you. In return, you just need to prepare a box of your child's old clothes to list on their site, and then send it for free when someone else picks it. So, at the end of the day, you can typically get an entire box of "new to you" clothes for about $13, and you can pass on your outgrown clothes to someone else who needs them.

biz in a boxx - ignite your kid's entrepreneurial spirit

Would you like to get your kid off the couch and ignite their entrepreneurial spirit? Well, bizz in a box may be the answer you are looking for. They offer three age appropriate kits that walk kids through starting a business, from brainstorming ideas to trademarking the name. So, if you want your kid to think outside of the box, biz in a boxx could be just what they need.