What to Include in a Disaster Preparedness Kit

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                    It's difficult to think about a scenario in which you and your family are confined to your home or an emergency shelter. Nonetheless, it is important to be prepared in the event of a hurricane, tornado, pandemic or another worst-case scenario by assembling a disaster preparedness kit and storing it in a secure location. Make sure to include these items in your kit.

Bottled Water

It's impossible to survive for more than a few days without access to water. In order to anticipate both drinking and sanitation needs, your disaster preparedness kit should include one gallon of all-natural bottled water Tampa FL for each member of your family per day for a minimum of three days.

Food

Make sure to include nonperishable food that does not require heating, cooking or refrigeration. Peanut butter, crackers, canned fruits and vegetables and granola bars are all good options. Don't forget a few sets of utensils and a can opener in order to make sure that you can access and eat the food.

Flashlight and Extra Batteries

To prepare for the possibility of losing power, add a powerful flashlight and extra batteries to your kit. Whether you may be fortunate enough to remain in your home or you need to relocate to a shelter, having no way to see would be frightening and debilitating.

Entertainment

Remember, in an emergency situation, you could be confined to an area for days or weeks on end. A deck of cards, a board game or a book will help to pass the time and take everyone's minds off of the situation at hand.

Chances are, you will never need to use your kit. Still, just in case a disaster does strike, it doesn't hurt to be ready. Assembling supplies and storing them in a safe place is an important way to look out for yourself and your family.

               

Different Things You Can Do During Self-Isolation

With many of us now either in self-isolation or facing the fact that we might need to at some point during the near future many people are worried about feeling cooped up indoors without their normal freedom to get out and about. It’s normal to worry about self-isolation, however, there is plenty that you can do to keep yourself occupied and still feeling like yourself. 

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Although it’s not nice to think about not being able to leave your home, your home is your safe place and it is full of things that you can do to keep yourself focused, let’s have a look at some of the things you could be doing if you have to self-isolate: 

Cleaning 

If you’re not feeling great then, of course, your health and recovery is ultimately the most important thing to focus on. But, if you’re feeling fine and are self-isolating not because of symptoms but because it’s necessary to do so you could take advantage of the time at home to complete some deep cleaning. Many of us take some time each year to perform a more thorough clean of homes, so why not do it now. If you’ve managed to grab yourself some cleaning supplies why not think about cleaning out your cupboards, cleaning your carpets and floors, and washing all the materials in your homes like your bedding and curtains. Not only will this help to eliminate any hidden germs, but it will also keep you busy. 

Recreational Activities 

There is no reason you can’t use this time to relax and distract yourself from all the seemingly bad news that we seem to be getting at the moment. Think about all the activities that you enjoy doing. Whether it’s completely large puzzles, playing online slots games, reading a book, baking, watching films or baking there is bound to be something that you enjoy doing that never seem to usually get the time to do. 

Exercising 

Exercise is essential for keeping us physically fit and mentally well. This means that you should try to still get the daily recommended amount of exercise while you are in isolation. Have a look online on platforms like Pinterest for some exercise routines that you can complete at home. You could even turn it into a little challenge if you are isolating with other people. Or if you have been meaning to dedicate some time to get fit, why not take advantage of this time to start your journey on becoming fit and healthy. Chances are you’ll probably have less access to fast food and temptation like goodies in the stores so this will naturally go hand in hand with your new exercise routines.  

When self-isolating, never forget that there is support if you need it. Make sure you let your family and friends know that you are in self-isolation and if you need anything ask them to drop it off at your door. If you’re worried about been cut off from people, make sure to make an effort to speak to them each day. 

These are just a few of the many things you could do if you have to self-isolate, do you have any other recommendations that you could add to the comments below? 

Staying Fit As a Busy Parent

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Even if you have a strict fitness routine, all of this can go out of the window once you become a parent. It doesn't take long for the body and fitness you've worked so hard for to slip away, and in addition to the toll it can have on your physical state, your mental state is also at risk. 

Truly dedicated fitness buffs always manage to find a way, though. However, not everyone is as in-the-know as others. So, if you've recently had kids or if you're looking to get back to your fitness routine but don't know how to juggle it with busy, buddy parenting responsibilities, here are some useful tips to consider. 

Make Use of Every Free Second

It may feel like you never have a free moment as a parent, but whenever they are eating their lunch or taking a quick nap is your chance to complete a quick workout. You don't need to run 5K, but a few sit-ups, pushups, or a set on your free weights are better than doing nothing.

If possible, you can also take advantage of the times where your kids aren't distracted. Resistance bands, hand strengtheners, and step machines are all easy to use and multitask with, whether you're playing or just watching TV together. 

Find a Gym With You in Mind

Most gyms cater to the young, single, and childless crowd. However, if you can find gyms that put a focus on affordability, such as Fitness 19, you might be able to get a quick workout completed without missing out on any precious moments in your child's life. 

The affordability means you don't need to adjust your budget too much. Furthermore, if you can get there before it gets busy, such as just before you need to pick the kids up from school or their sports clubs, you'll feel much better about staying on the healthy track, even when it feels like you can't find the time. 

Wake Up Early

One of the keys to maintaining a healthy lifestyle even when you are a busy parent is to make some changes in your lifestyle. One of these changes is to wake up a little earlier and go for a run, lift some weights, or do yoga or even bodyweight exercises. 

It might be hard at first to miss out on that extra 15 or 20 minutes, but once you're up, then you will feel much better for it. Conversely, if you do find it too much of a struggle (or if you think you literally cannot get up any earlier), consider going to bed a little later. However, make sure you don't overdo it, as the rise in your heart rate could make getting to sleep difficult. 

Staying Fit

It's never as easy as it seems to stay in good shape, especially with kids. Still, as long as you know the little tricks to make it possible, you can find ways to exercise anywhere you look, and soon enough, there won't be any obstacles you cannot overcome. 

5 Ways to Improve Your Family's Finances

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Raising kids is expensive, and just about every family needs to stick to some kind of budget to be able to afford everything they need. If your money is a bit all over the place and you need to do something about it, here are some ideas. 

Get your debt under control

Getting out of debt is one of the best things you can do for your family's finances. Sell what you don't need to raise the cash to pay down balances, or if your debt is out of control then speak to a debt charity who can give you advice based on your situation. 

Start saving

Once all of your accounts are paid and closed and your debt is paid off, start saving up. One of the best ways to do this is by automating things- set up a standing order to transfer money from your current account to your savings account on the day you get paid. You won't have to think about it and can let it just save for you, over time your savings will build and build. 

Earn more money

Having a variety of ways to earn money will help you to save faster and will also help you to feel more financially secure. If for any reason you lost your job, you know that you’d have other methods of earning money that you could rely on until you were back on your feet. Blogging, freelancing, home businesses, tutoring and trading are all ideas. Find out the safest place to buy btc and do some research and you could get started with it right away. 

Save money on days out

Going on days out can be a fantastic opportunity for you to make memories together and spend quality time. However, tourist attractions can be really expensive. You might not be able to afford to go to the zoo, a theme park, a boat ride or an adventure day every weekend but there are plenty of other ideas. Parks, farms, museums and galleries are all cheap or free, most have exhibits for kids to keep them interested. Check out local Facebook pages for your area for events at libraries and community centres as there are often free things for kids and families to do. You could just take a picnic and go on a walk or bike ride if the weather is nice, it’s all quality time spent together. 

Spend less on food

Food is more than likely one area you’ll be able to cut back on. Most of us buy too many fresh items that don’t get used in time, or items that look good in the shop that we don't really need. If you buy ingredients in bulk you can batch cook meals and freeze them, otherwise menu plan and only buy what you need for that week. Have a store cupboard stocked with essentials, that way you have what you need for most kinds of recipes.

Three Unique Baby Gifts to Give

                    

One of life’s most exciting times is the expecting and birth of a new baby. If you have a loved one or friend who is anticipating the arrival of a new baby, consider one of these three unique gifts for the new parents and your gift will surely be remembered for years to come.

Personalized Book

One of the greatest ways for parents to bond with their babies and small children is to read to them. Long before their little one can truly understand what they are reading, the emotional attunement and bonding of reading together will last a lifetime. One fun way to give a book that is surely unique to them is to give a personalized ABC book with their child’s name involved on each and every page. As their child gets older, they will delight in having a book that includes their name on each page.