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10 iPhone apps to help you manage your household expenses

Posted on January 29, 2015

In the world of mobile devices, few are as popular or as versatile as

Apple’s powerful iPhone. Busy professionals have quickly learned just

how useful an iPhone can be when it comes to streamlining business

operations and tracking data, but it may come as a bit of a surprise to

learn how much the iPhone in your pocket can do in terms of managing

your personal life as well. These 10 apps are effective and valuable

budget-management tools and can assist you in the often complicated

business of tracking and keeping up with household expenses.

Manilla

– Chosen as a Top 100 Web Business by PC Magazine and ABCNews.com’s App

of the Week, the free Bills & Account Manager app from Manilla

helps you monitor your bills, statements and notices so that you can

keep up with exactly how much money you’re spending in each area. As an

added bonus, you can also set up text or email message alerts to let you

know when a bill is due to help you avoid further damage to your

finances with late fees and penalties.
Expenses and Income – CashTrails Lite

– The free Lite version of CashTrails lets you track both what’s coming

in and what’s going out, as well as log your daily expenses to help

determine exactly how much money is spent on incidental purchases. Group

filtering to separate your regular expenses from those of a

professional nature or special vacation spending allows you to

compartmentalize your budget and organize your entries in a way that

makes most sense to you.
Spending

– The simple name of this $2.99 app is an indication of exactly what

you can expect from it; an app that is no frills, no fuss and directly

to the point. Spending helps you keep up with how much money you spend,

track your expenses and manage your accounts quickly and easily. There

are no extraneous features and no superfluous commands or complications,

leaving this app beautifully easy to use and free of frustration.
iSpending

– With this free app you can set up separate categories to

compartmentalize and track your expenses in a more detailed fashion,

while still keeping an eye on the big financial picture. Daily, weekly,

monthly and annual summaries are displayed on the home page, allowing

you to access budget and expense information at a glance.
Pageonce – Money & Bills

– Part of managing your household budget and tracking expenses is

making sure that you stay current with all of your bills. That’s where

this free app comes in handy, allowing you to keep up with and even pay

all of your bills with just a few taps of the screen. Called the

“Cadillac of money management apps” by CNN Money and chosen as an iTunes

Staff Favorite, Pageonce is a valuable expense tracking tool.
iXpenseIt Lite –

Tracking daily and monthly expenses is fast and simple with the free

Lite version of the paid iXpenseIt app, which is more than powerful

enough to easily keep up with household budgeting. CNN Money Magazine

calls iXpenseIt Lite one of the “Best iPhone Apps” and LAPTOP Magazine

rates it among the 50 Most Useful iPhone Apps.
Expensify

– While this free app is designed for business travelers, you can still

keep up with your daily household expenses by using Expensify. You can

even generate full PDF copies of your household expense reports for

later review!
Checkbook HD Free

– Once upon a time, household expense tracking and management was

accomplished by keeping an up-to-date and accurate checkbook register.

As paper checks become less and less common, this free app simulates the

experience to help you keep up with your bills the old fashioned way.
Bills Monitor Free

– With this free app, you can review upcoming expenses through the

calendar view or specific categories, keeping up with what’s going out

at any given time. If you’d like to keep your household expenses and

budgeting information hidden from prying eyes, there’s also a

password-protect function.
Smart Budget

– Free, straightforward and easy to use, Smart Budget allows 30 trial

transactions before requiring an upgrade to the full version, giving you

plenty of time to decide whether or not this expense management and

household budgeting tool is for you. Should you choose to upgrade, it

can be quickly and easily handled with in-app purchasing.

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Molly Sims’ Red Carpet Maternity Fashion

Posted on January 29, 2015

Yup, I think I’ve said this before but Molly Sims definitely is having the most awesomest fashionable pregnancy this go-round.

I love loved this actress, author and former model’s long black strapless Lela Rose ball gown she wore last November 2014 while attending the 2014 Baby2Baby Gala presented by Tiffany & Co held at The Book Bindery in Culver City, Cali. So elegant and flawless. She wore shoes by Alaia and Norman Silverman jewels to accent this fab look.

But the avante garde break out moment came a month prior when she attended ELLE magazine’s 21st Annual Women In Hollywood event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. It was cool to experiment with the crop top look while preggers.

The pull-back pony was the perfect hair to fit with the simple black wrap dress she wore while attending the Annie for Target launch event at Stage 37 in Nor York City in October.

Then while sticking with a mainly black palette, she went va va glam with a bump-hugging sequins evening dress on the red carpet to the amFAR LA Inspiration Gala in LA on October 29. The retro-waves glam hair swept to one side was to-die for!

Finally, and most recently, she departed from black and went the polar opposite in a bright yellow Lisa Perry dress with jeweled ethnic embroidered trip to the 72 Annual Golden Glow Awards Post-Party at The Beverly Hilton Hotel earlier this month.

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Dad asks CA to ban non-immunized kids from sick son’s school

Posted on January 28, 2015

A California man who has a son with leukemia is demanding the state ban children who are not immunized from his child’s school.

Carl Krawitt‘s 6-year old son Rhett has undergone a few rounds of chemotherapy and has not re-built his immunity yet sufficiently to get all of his immunizations. Until then, Krawitt has filed a request asking that the 7% of kids at his son’s school, Reed Elementary in Tiburon, California be forbidden from attending school. That rate is higher than the 2.5% statewide that take up the state’s option to skip immunization for personal and religious reasons. The San Francisco Bay area, generally, has some of the highest exemption rates in the state and nation.

Rhett requires “herd immunity” or others around him to all be immunized to protect him from coming down with communicable diseases like the measles.

“It’s very emotional for me,” Krawitt told NPR. “If you choose to not immunize your own child and your own child dies because they get measles, OK, that’s your responsibility, that’s your choice.”

He added, “but if your child gets sick and gets my child sick and my child dies, then…your action has harmed my child.”

Krawitt and his wife sent a letter asking the state “require immunization as a condition of attendance with the only exception being those who cannot medically be vaccinated.”

So far, the superintendent said he is considering and monitoring the situation and health of students at the school.

The only thing, by the time a kid contracts measles which has had a recent outbreak in California, it may be too late for Krawitt’s son.

What do you think? Fair or no?

h/t NPR

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Molly Sims covers ‘Fit Pregnancy’ Again, gives 2nd pregnancy insights

Posted on January 28, 2015

Actress, model and author Molly Sims covers the February edition of Fit Pregnancy. She also covered the mag in 2012 when she was pregnant with her 2-year old son Brooks.

The mom-to-be gave some great insight to the life of the 2nd time pregnant woman in her cover interview.

She shared how this pregnancy has been easier even though she said she had morning sickness all day this round and only in the evening with her first.

The author of the new Amazon bestelling book, “Everyday Supermodel: My Beauty, Fashion, and Wellness Secrets Made Simple” said she has learned “not to freak out over every single symptom,” and to be more practical, adding “now I know exactly how many onesies I need when the baby arrives. I don’t have the anxiety of being a first-time mom. Moreover, I know to wear my Spanx tights when I go out, and my T.E.D. compression hose when I fly to prevent blood clots.”

She also realized that being too hung up on wanting to realize a baby plan is not realistic.

“First, I had a velamentous cord insertion [when the umbilical cord inserts into the fetal membranes rather than the middle of the placenta, causing a higher risk of rupture],” said Sims, who is married to hubby Scott Stuber. “The doctor monitored me closely throughout the pregnancy, and I had a scheduled C-section to protect the cord, which was necessary, but disappointing. This time, I don’t have the same condition, so I’m not opposed to a VBAC [vaginal birth after Cesarean].”

Imperfect can be perfect.

Read the entire interview at Fit Pregnancy HERE or pick it up at newsstands!

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Trend Alert: How to do the Sheer Trend, Maternity style

Posted on January 28, 2015

The Fall 2014 sheer trend we saw on fashion runways is making its way onto the award season red carpet. Maternity wear designers are not getting left behind in the movement and have been updating their options to accommodate the trend as well.

If you are one of those moms-to-be who like to keep up with trends, you’ll be happy to know there are options out there tailored to you too.

Here are a few items we found while scoping our partners at Shopstyle!

photo collage: lingerissimi/bellyitch

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Best Snow Day Announcement: ‘School is Closed’ set to Frozen’s ‘Let it Go’ (VIDEO)

Posted on January 27, 2015

When our kids’ school is out, we get an email or an automated call or perhaps we get the word watching the local news.

Moses Brown High School principal Matt Glendinning of Rhode Island took a creative and fun route by capturing the news in a hilariously funny YouTube video to the very popular Oscar-winning tune “Let it Go” from the blockbuster Disney animated film Frozen.

Too funny! Check it out: “School is Closed”:

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VH1’s ‘Love & Hip Hop’s Yandy Smith welcomes daughter

Posted on January 27, 2015

Congratulations to Love and Hip Hop‘s Yandy Smith on the birth of her daughter yesterday, Monday January 27. The music manager shared news of the baby’s impending arrival on her Instagram account yesterday.

“The Princess is coming,” she captioned a photo of herself in a maternity ward gown with her fiance Mendeecees Harris giving her a smooch. “We can’t wait to meet out little princess.”

This is the second child for the couple. They have a son, whom they welcomed in July 2012. He has two boys from previous relationships.

This lil boy thinks he can fly when we got his hands…matter fact…he can. Fly baby, fly!!! The sky is not even your limit!

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10 Family-Friendly Winter Vacation Locations

Posted on January 27, 2015

The Westin Lake Vegas Resort Spa – Vegas.com

If you live in a cooler climate that experiences wintry weather during the colder months, but aren’t a fan of toughing out the colder days or participating in winter sports, the idea of escaping to a warm, sunny locale for a quick family vacation during winter break can be incredibly appealing. While there are a staggering number of places around the world that enjoy warm weather during the winter months, these are 10 of the best and most family-friendly spots to visit if you’re looking to escape the winter doldrums with your brood.

Florida Keys – With average temperatures in the 70’s, even during January and February, the Florida Keys offer American families the chance to get as close to the equator as possible without leaving the continental United States. In addition to the many beaches and water sports, there are also ample opportunities to learn more about marine life on a glass-bottomed boat or a chartered eco-tour.
Dominican Republic – Skipping the country in search of warmer climates doesn’t have to empty your bank account. During the winter months, most resorts in the beautiful and exotic Dominican Republic slash their prices dramatically, leaving their prices well within most budgets. Temperatures during the winter months also tend to hover in the high 70’s to 80’s.
Maya Riviera, Mexico – With year-round temperature averages of about 78°, the Maya Riviera is a popular destination for those who aren’t wild about winter weather. From sparkling beaches to spectacular Mayan ruins, there’s definitely something to suit every member of your family in the area.
Hawaii – If you don’t mind a bit of crowding, the Hawaiian Islands may be the perfect choice for your winter getaway. Because each of the eight islands has their own attractions and offer something different to tourists, you’ll be able to find activities everyone in the family will enjoy. Luxury accommodations can get quite pricey, however, because the winter months are quite popular for tourists to visit Hawaii.
Las Vegas, Nevada – Vegas might have the dubious honor of being dubbed “Sin City,” but it’s also a surprisingly suitable family destination, and ranked number one on Getaroom.com’s list of wintertime bargain destinations in the United States. Average temperatures fall a bit short of tropical in the winter, hovering in the low 60’s during the winter months, but you still won’t need to pack those heavy jackets and scarves.
The Amalfi Coast, Italy – During the winter months, the Amalfi Coast region is one of the warmest areas of Italy, with average temperatures in the 50’s. Some hotels and restaurants are closed or on limited schedules during the winter months, but there are still plenty of attractions to keep everyone entertained and out of the snow during winter break.
Phoenix, Arizona – With spring-like temperatures hovering in the high 60’s, the many attractions and activities in Phoenix make the city a great escape from winter weather for a short jaunt during winter break. There are plenty of activities for kids, including museums and other educational pursuits, as well as a variety of outdoor activities.
Guanacaste, Costa Rica – From zip-lining through rainforests and thrilling canopy tours to surfing lessons and low-key horseback trail rides, there’s plenty of tropical fun to be had in Costa Rica during the winter months. The crowds are almost non-existent and prices are dramatically dropped during the winter season, which can be quite rainy in certain areas but is easily avoidable by traveling a very short distance.
Orlando, Florida – Families have been making the pilgrimage to Orlando year-round for decades to visit the Happiest Place on Earth and take advantage of the many amenities. It’s significantly less expensive during the winter months, provided that you avoid peak days like Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day, and will have average temperatures in the low 70’s.
Cyprus – The third largest Mediterranean island is dotted with olive and citrus groves, mountains and beaches, and is an impressively low-cost winter vacation destination for families. Temperatures are in the high 70’s from November to February. The island also does not shut down during the winter low season, so you’ll still be able to visit historical sites, go hiking, and enjoy the many amenities of hotels whose rates drop by almost half from November through March.

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Chasing The Duggars: The Bates from ‘Bringing up Bates’ are expecting the 20th child in the family

Posted on January 26, 2015

So the other TV family with 19 kids also has a family member expecting a baby.

This January 1, The Bates family, consisting of dad Gil, mom Kelly Jo and their 19 children, ages 2 to 25, got their own reality TV show on UPTV after appearing on several episodes of TLC‘s 19 and Counting.

The show, Bringing Up Bates, premiered this January 1 and featured a storyline where the oldest daughter Erin, and her husband, Chad Paine, discovered that they miscarried their first child. However, since that airing, the couple has gong on to conceive again.

Erin shared a sonogram of her baby on her Instagram account this weekend. She wrote:

I’m so glad and relieved that last night’s episode has finally aired! Chad and I have been waiting to share our big news with the rest of the world for quite some time now. The news is true! Chad and I are having a baby! To say that we are thrilled would be such an understatement. 😉 We can hardly contain our excitement as we prepare to be parents. As many of you know, starting a family.

As we reported before, over at The Duggars household, their eldest daughter Jill announced last October that she and her husband Derrick Dillard are expecting their first child. This will be the 4th of 5 grandchildren in the family because Josh Duggar and his wife Anna have 3 kids and announced this past December that they are expecting their fourth child. Jessa Duggar just got engaged to her beau Ben Seewald last August.

It looks in the production of children competition, the Duggars are pulling ahead! ha!

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Tax Filing Season: 8 Tax Credits for Parents

Posted on January 26, 2015

As you prepare to file your taxes and consider all the recent changes associated with the new healthcare law, make sure you do your own research and check with their tax preparers to make sure they are up to speed.

In the meantime, we thought we’d re-share a past post highlighting some of the tax credits people with children can take advantage of as you prepare to file your 2014 taxes.

1. Child/dependent care credit – This one depends on your income. But if you have one child, you can get a credit of 20 to 40 percent of up to $3,000 of childcare expenses; that goes up to $6,000 if you have two or more children. The amount of the credit changes along with your family’s adjusted gross income.

2. The child tax credit – This gives you a $1,000 per qualifying child. That means $1,000 right off your tax bill. The catch: Your modified adjusted gross income has to be less than $110,000 for a married couple filing jointly.

3. Earned income tax credit – This is a credit for working families subject to income limitations – ie, if you make a high salary you probably won’t get it. The EITC is a refundable credit, which means that even if it exceeds the taxes you owe, you still get money back. This isn’t only for families with kids, but children make you more likely to qualify.

4. The American opportunity credit – This is an education credit of up to $2,500 (subject of income limits) for folks with dependants in college. It can offset tuition (not books or meals) for a student in a degree program, for up to four years. Up to 40 percent of this credit is refundable – that means you get it even if it exceeds your tax burden.

5. The lifetime learning credit –This one is up to $2,000 per tax return. There’s no limit on the number of years you can take it, and you do not need to be in degree program. You can’t take it along with the American opportunity credit, though, and it’s not refundable.

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6. Pay your child a salary – If you have your own business, pay your children and write their salary off as an expense. They get taxed at their tax rate, so it’s a savings for the family. Yes, you can do this. There are a bunch of rules, though – the kid actually has to work, for instance; and no, you can’t send them to the coal mines – so check out some websites before you put Junior on the job.

7. The adoption expense credit –The adoption expense credit. This one is up to $13,360 for the 2011 tax year. It phases out when family income hits $185,000.

8. Student loan deduction – Student loan deduction. You can deduct student loan interest up to $2500 a year if the annual gross income for joint filers is under $150,000.

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