How to Cope with the Unexpected Death of a Loved One

There is nothing harder in life than having to deal with the sudden loss of a loved one. It can lead to emotional turmoil and create challenging living circumstances in both the short and long-term. It is impossible to feel okay straight away, and it will take a long time to heal, but there are a few steps that you can take during this challenging time to put yourself in a position to heal in a healthy manner and start building towards a brighter future. Here are a few ways that an individual can cope when they suffer a sudden loss of a loved one.

Know What to Expect

First, it is important that you are aware that you are likely to feel a wide array of emotions after a sudden loss. Due to the fact that the loss is unexpected, it is likely that you will feel shock, disbelief, anger, and sadness. Often an individual will have stronger feelings of shock and anger as they have not had time to prepare so it can feel like the rug has been pulled from under them. There may also be physical symptoms like lack of sleep and loss of appetite.

Speak to Someone

Nobody should have to go through this process alone and speaking to someone will help you to come to terms with what has happened. It is important to speak to someone else who is going through the loss and potentially a healthcare professional if you are struggling to cope. There are also support groups which can be of a huge help particularly for those that do not have friends and family to speak to.

Support Children

If there are children to consider, it can be a huge challenge to explain the loss to them. How this should be done will depend on their age, but there are methods for explaining death in an age-appropriate manner for all ages. You also need to show that it is important to communicate and show your emotions during this challenging time.

Making A Claim

If it was a fatal accident, then you may be able to make a claim. While no amount of money will compensate for your loss, it can help with resulting financial hardships and help you to build a brighter future. It can also help to answer questions you may have about what happened and why which can help with closure.

Practicalities

It is hard to consider the practicalities and day to day chores when you are coping with an unexpected loss. Having people who can support you and help with daily chores and taking steps for the funeral can be a huge help. Although it may all feel too much at times, it can be helpful to stay active and move forwards.

Dealing with the unexpected loss of a loved one is a traumatic experience and there is no cure other than time. The above are a few important steps to take which will help in the long run and allow you to come to terms with what has happened.

Prescription Sunnies for My Husband! (Just Eyewear Review)

Originally posted 10/10/12. We just hit our TWENTY-YEAR ANNIVERSARY in 2018, so yay us!

Today is all about my husband because it's our 14th wedding anniversary! If you had told me 14 years ago that today I would be going back to the animal shelter to get more stuff they forgot to send with us, to PetCo for dog supplies, homeschooling, squeezing in a shower, doing laundry, going to hang out with a group I created called Heathen Homeschoolers (the name is a joke), picking up take-out BBQ and heading to the park WHERE WE GOT ENGAGED and have never been back to (how romantic!) all with FIVE KIDS IN TOW, I would have told you ...

"AWESOME! I can't wait! Bring it on because that sounds like us! Sounds like fun! Sounds like a bustling, loving household of the good kind of crazy! I'll take a ticket to that roller coaster ride!"

Enough about our disgusting love. This is a review, dangit. And I am here to review the heck out of these https://www.globosurfer.com/best-polarized-sunglasses/ Aron got from Just Eyewear. I think they are adorable on him and no more squinting for him in the sun, which we all know causes wrinkles. (sometimes I like to apply my wrinkle cream to his little eye area and he pretends like it hurts, but it is our little bonding thing and was that too much information?)

Their glasses start at just $17.95. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I trotted my butt into Lenscrafters last year and got myself a pair of RayBan prescription sunglasses as a treat to myself for my 40th birthday. I'd never had prescription sunnies and had always wanted them so I just did it. I spent ... um, well, a lot. Okay, fine, they were in the neighborhood of $300. (like my font change?!)

Aron got something he really wanted and the total was only around $88 (in all honesty, he got a $50 credit from Just Eyewear so we could do the review so he really only spent $38). He got a nice case and a tool to adjust the screws and a cleaning cloth. What a deal!

We were surprised they were so cheap, seeing as how back in the day he wore Coke bottle thick lenses and to make those nice and thin for sunnies takes some doing. By the way, I am also practically blind, so I am allowed to make fun of my hubs, but if you do it I'll scratch your eyes out!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

5 Ideas for Your Family Getaway

Chicago, March 2017

The thought of heading off on vacation with your spouse and children probably fills you with glee, as it will provide you all with an opportunity to relax, have fun and enjoy some quality time with each other. Yet you might not know about the best destination to visit to complement everyone’s needs.

If you are scratching your head about the best places to go with all the clan for an upcoming vacation, here are five helpful ideas for your next family getaway.

1.    A City Break

How does a trip that is filled with museums, shopping and sightseeing sound to you? If your answer is heaven, consider taking your family on a fun city break. Fortunately, you will not be short of options, as you can travel to a city at home or abroad, such as New York, Tel Aviv, Dublin, or Rome. One city you shouldn’t overlook for a family-friendly trip is London, as it offers activities and attractions for all ages, such as many free museums, historical attractions, and musicals for kids at the West End.

2.    A Family Cruise

If you want your children to see the world while they are young, so they have a childhood filled with superb memories, you would be wise to book a family friendly cruise. Not only will you visit different locations along the way, but there will be plenty of children’s entertainment and activities to keep boredom at bay. Simply do your homework to find the best cruise line for your family.

3.    A Tropical Vacation

If sun, sea and sand sound like utter bliss to you, a tropical vacation might be the dream getaway you have been looking for. You can trust your partner and children will have fun swimming and snorkeling. You also should pick a kid-friendly hotel, so they will have plenty of fun in a swimming pool and can enjoy superb entertainment every night.

4.    A Fun Road Trip

There is no better way to explore your home country than embarking on a fun road trip with your partner and kids. They will love jumping into a car to find out where the road takes them, and there are bound to be many superb roadside attractions they will love when driving from A to B. Don’t forget to book hotels along the route to ensure the whole family has a place to sleep each night during an adventure.

5.    Go Camping at a National Park

If you are looking for a fun yet affordable break away with your children, consider going camping at a national park. The kids will love helping to pitch a tent before heading off on a walking trail to explore the beautiful landscape and view wildlife in its natural habitat, which will provide them with a new appreciation for the great outdoors. You can then spend the evening cooking a delicious meal for all the family, making s’mores, singing songs, and staring up at the stars.

New Home; New Bills? Surprising Reasons Your New Home Will Cost You Money

PixaBay.com

When we choose a place to live, we tend to consider the same sort of things:

• Do we like the house? The neighborhood? Can we see ourselves living there, our family settling in this environment?
• What is the commute like to our workplace?
• Can I afford it? Do I need to allocate extra resources to renovate it?
• What are the schools in the area like?

And so on and so forth - and all are good things to consider. Necessary things; the vitals on the surface of the choice of the place we call home.

Going back to one of those points: "Can I afford it?". Within this bracket, you will think about things like the down payment, the monthly mortgage, and the property taxes. These are, again, the surface elements. But if you dig a little deeper, you will find that your decision about where you live can have other financial ramifications - and you won't even realize it until you're all moved in.

1. It can alter your insurance premiums

This applies to any kind of insurance you might want to take out, including seemingly unrelated things like pet insurance. It's wise to acknowledge your home insurance can change, but everything else is up for grabs as well.

The way that insurance premiums are calculated is done in such a way as to be almost entirely obtuse. So you likely won't know about the issue when you move. You can find yourself still reeling from the cost of moving and suddenly finding your health insurance premium has gone through the roof. This might happen even if you have only moved a couple of blocks across the city; it's impossible to predict.

Insurance rarely locks you into a contract, so be prepared to shop around and switch to another insurer if you have to. If doing so leaves you struggling to pay your bills, then there are still options. For health, services like floridamedicareadvantageplans.com can help meet the gap between what you can and can't afford. Similar plans are available for all other types of insurance, too - you just have to be prepared to look for them.

2. You can be given higher quotes by tradespeople

If you have got a home renovation project in mind, then you'll contact a tradesperson for a quote. A friend of yours who lives across the city could do the same. Same tradesperson; same company; same job - different prices.

Perception is a big part of how these quotes are generated. Tradespeople aren't just looking at the cost of a job, but trying to analyze how much you can afford to pay. If your new home is more affluent, then you're going to see the price go up.

The only solution here is being willing to haggle. If a price isn't good enough, then say so. It's also worth dropping in a mention of the expense of moving and how you're on a budget for this project - it helps make the point that you don't have an endless money pit!

3. The air quality is worse - to the point of causing health problems

PixaBay.com

We know healthcare is an expensive thing, and sadly, if you move to a more polluted area then it could rise another few dollars for you. Air pollutants are a major health catastrophe that is already happening, but not in an obvious way. Because no one is inhaling these pollutants and immediately coughing up blood, we've become lax to understand the issues that they pose.

Those issues are substantial. A worsening of conditions affecting the lungs is the primary concern, while you may also find you or your children develop lung problems or allergies. You can find out more about the potential issues pollution causes at http://www.webmd.com/lung/features/outdoor-pollution-and-lung-function-effects - it really is worth knowing. The treatment for all of these fresh ailments is going to need paying for somehow.   

There are ways and means of mitigating the damage. You can only allow your children to play outside at certain times, for a start. Anything around either the morning or evening rush hours should be avoided. You can also look at filtering the air inside your home, either by mechanical means or with plants that help remove toxins from the air.

While maps of pollution do exist and are worth checking before you move, they are not the most reliable of things. They don't see the fluctuations throughout the day and the information is frequently out of date - but it's still worth a look to identify any potential oncoming problems.

None of the problems listed above are going to be serious enough to cause you to want to move. All you can do is make the adjustments you can and do your best - such is the compromise of a new home you love!

Originally published 12/19/16

Start Saving for Christmas! 300 Bonus SB When You Sign Up Swagbucks in October

It is never too early to start saving for Christmas! I use sites like Swagbucks to rack up points throughout the year for Christmas shopping. Then when I am doing my online Christmas shopping, I get more points to go toward next year's shopping! Win-win!

All throughout October you can earn large bonuses when sign up as my referral on Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a rewards site where you earn points (called SB) for things you're probably doing online already, like searching the web, watching videos, shopping, discovering deals, and taking surveys. Then you take those points and exchange them for gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, or PayPal cash. 

When you sign up through me this month, you can earn a 300 SB bonus! Here's how: 

1. Sign up using this link 

2. Earn 300 SB total before November 1st, 2018. You'll get a 300 SB bonus for it! 

3. That's it. It's super easy, and Swagbucks is for real. I use it myself, and I've earned 129,641 Swagbucks since signing up, and it's been a fun ride! 

Give it a try and let me know how many Swagbucks you get!