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Techniques of an Identity Thief

Shiva Brent Sharma, who is serving a two- to four-year prison term, describes the techniques he used as an online identity thief.

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Madlynn is Kid of the Month

The Milk Gap



The Times's Jodi Kantor looks at the class divide for nursing mothers in the workplace.

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Visits Don't Always Lead to Adoption



Programs that allow children available for adoption to visit American families often lead to happily-ever-after, but sometimes end painfully.

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Taking Prescriptions on the Road



It is not required to carry copies of your prescriptions with you when you travel, but business travel columnist Joe Sharkey says it might not be a bad idea.

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Consumer: top stories
 

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Single Moms - find here resources on financial aid, scholarships, help with basic needs, food, prescription drugs, health care, housing, legal info, and much more...


Time Savers for Single Moms

 

by Kelly Kennedy

There is no question that the life of a single mother forces one to stretch the limits and test the strength of your organizational skills as well as your time management. But for those who didn’t study Frank Gilbreth’s efficiency theories in college here are some tips for easy ways to minimize the time it takes for everyday chores so you have more time (and dare we say energy) to focus on the fun stuff.

 

The number one complaint that single moms have is that too much time and effort go into menial tasks like household chores or grocery shopping but a little help in organizing those chores goes a long way.

 

Grim at the Grocer’s?

 

Though you may set aside time to go to the store in hopes of getting everything you could possibly need for the next two weeks, you end up leaving two hours later with $250.00 of groceries that combined will hardly make a complete meal.

 

An easy fix is to hone some militant organizational skills when it comes to meal planning. Though the shopping list is by no means a new organization method, they are extremely underutilized considering their time saving benefits. Have your basic list of items your household can’t do without (bread, lunchmeat, milk…). As soon as an item starts to run into the empty category, add it to the list. As easy meal ideas come to mind for next week slip them on the list as well. The key to the shopping list is the stick to it; give yourself an allowance of either money or time spent on items not on the list and stick to your guns to limit your impulse buying. Also beware of “middle shelf items”, a common marketing ploy, where higher priced impulse products reside.

 

Another easy way to reduce your time spent shopping is to find the right store, preferably something easily accessible that has what your family needs- and shop there religiously. Getting to know the layout of a store and being able to locate less common items (marinated artichoke?) will save more time than you realize and reduce your odds of forgetting something.

 

One final tip for the dreaded grocery store: give the sore brands a try- you just may be surprised at how much you like it and how much you save.

 

Housecleaning 101

 

Another major hassle for the single mom is the time devoted to household chores. For this, a daily list of quick things to do simply to maintain is the most efficient. Daily chores should include the more obvious dish cleaning – to reduce sink clutter (not to mention fungal growth), and some mail control – bills go into their special file, school papers in theirs, junk mail in the nearest trash can or fire place. But another maintenance effort that might greatly reduce your weekend to do list is a daily load of laundry - get those school uniforms or soccer jerseys out of the way, or even just a load of towels.

 

Next, enlist the kids. Studies show that there are significantly fewer kids these days expected to perform daily chores, now earning allowances for things like good grades. Start a new habit of having them vacuum or dust one room before they have an after school snack. Let them know how much you would appreciate it and remind them it will only take about ten minutes. For younger children, making a game out of house cleaning (who can pick up their room the fastest?) can make a huge difference. Reward kids with some positive reinforcement and some extra quality time with them.

 

About Author:

Kelly Kennedy is the Communications Specialist for MindComet Corporation, a full service marketing agency for Fortune 500 companies and international conglomerates. Kelly specializes in public relations strategies focused on single mother's financial guidance. Kelly has been author to hundreds of articles focusing on single mother financial concerns. She also acts as a contributing author for a wide variety of websites and newsletters. Kelly holds a Bachelors degree in Marketing from the University of Central Florida.

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Utility Prices are Significant Expenses

by Randi Lynn Millward

I don't know about you, but my electric bill is sky-high. I've been running around the house unplugging everything in sight so as not to incur charges from my appliances using "phantom energy".

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Because you are somebody special!

by Annette Bridges

Since my trip to Italy, my husband and I have enjoyed a delicious breakfast routine that often includes French toast, fresh fruit and a yummy cup of cappuccino.

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Our Friendships

by Laurie Cesario-Overton

We all have those days when we get overwhelmed and it seems like every time we turn around there is another problem.

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3 Money Rules for Stay-at-Home Moms

As we all know, life is unpredictable. We lose jobs, get divorced and even become widowed...
Here are three steps stay-at-home parents should take to better manage their own and the family’s finances.

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You May Have Too Much Debt But You Also Have Options

How Life Works

If you feel like you're in over your head with personal debt, you're not alone. Millions of Americans have become overextended, many as a result of easy credit and the recessions. Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and raising interest rates do not make a good financial mix.

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Could fat babies mean fat toddlers?

A new study from Harvard Medical School found that babies who gained weight quickly had a sharply higher risk of obesity. The study followed close to 600 babies and found those in the top quarter of weight for their length at 6 months had a 40 percent higher risk of obesity by age 3 than smaller babies.

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Offer to barter

Dr. Marie - Advice for Pet Owners

A vetʼs office is a business that requires a lot of services. In many cases your vet may be willing to barter in exchange for veterinary services.

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How to Find the Best Car Loans for Single Moms

Financial Advice for Single Moms

The best car loans for single mothers might be just around the corner at your local car lot.

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Crystal Bowersox - A Single Mom And A Real American Idol

Read how the amazing Crystal Bowersox. the runner-up of American Idol Season 9, handles fame and life as a single mom, raising her 17 month old son.

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5 Ways for Single Moms to Save Money

Single moms are always looking for ways to save money, and for good reason... It’s important to find ways to cut corners on the little things that perhaps you don’t think about too often, because those are usually where your biggest money drains are.

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Suze Orman's Recession Rescue Plan - helps you survive in times of financial crisis

OPRAH.com

Do you know what your family would do if you lost your job - or worse, your home? Financial expert Suze Orman is ready to help you devise a recession rescue plan to survive - and possibly thrive - during this deepening financial crisis...

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Your Just-in-Case Emergency Plan

by RealSimple

Who do you call if you can't make it home in time to meet the kids' bus? Who do you trust to take in your mail when you're on vacation? Who do you trust with the extra set of keys to your house?

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How to save $10,000

By Liz Pulliam Weston

If you were hoping for a list of small tweaks you could make in your spending to save $10,000 a year, sorry. The reality is that $10,000 is a lot of money. And saving big money usually means making big changes in the areas where we spend the most, such as: Housing, Transportation, Food.

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The Super, Sexy, Single Mom on a Budget

by Renee Rayles

A quick reference guide designed for the busy, single mom who has

little time to read while running the mom taxi, cooking dinner, helping with homework, and trying to fit in a date night every now and then.

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Single Mothers &
Male Role-Models / Mentors

Single mothers carry an enormous load of responsibility, especially those having sole and/or primary custody of minor children. They nourish, they nurture, they teach, they discipline, they shelter, they protect, and they provide… all without the assistance of another equally-invested adult.

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Mom's Obesity Raises Newborn's Heart Risk

from the National Institute of Health

The more obese a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the greater the likelihood that her newborn baby will have a congenital heart defect, a new study suggests. The finding raises concerns because 1 in 5 women are obese at the start of pregnancy in the United States.

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The 10-Ingredient Shopping Trip

By Tara Parker-Pope and Mark Bittman

... In his latest “How to Cook Everything” segment on the Today Show, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman makes it surprisingly easy to cook a week’s worth of dinners with just a 10-ingredient shopping trip.

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Your 5-minute guide to protecting your identity

20 steps to protect yourself from identity theft, and seven ways to clean up things if you become a victim.

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Single Moms in the News

6 Best Celebrity Single Moms
Read about Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Michelle Williams, Reese Witherspoon, Kimora Lee Simmons, Mary-Louise Parker... read more

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

by Jeff Kinney

For those wondering why tween boys don’t read very much, the answer is that more books aren’t like this...

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