How can I reach my savings goal?

This is a calculator provided by Bank of America. It is really useful for all moms that want to keep track of their family's financial well being.
How can I reach my savings goal?

The freezer is our friend!

The freezer can be an asset to a working mother. Not only can we reduce the
number of trips to the supermarket, we can prepare food ahead of time for
getting meals on the table quickly and easily. Here are some ways I have tried
to maximize the use of my freezer:
Making Extra: While I have all the
ingredients available, I double my recipe and freeze the extras. This is good
for families who don't want leftovers within days of eating the original meal.
It doesn't take a lot of additional work and comes in handy for a quick meal.
You can easily cook 8 pieces of chicken rather than 4 or make a super huge pot
of soup .
Plan a Cook-A-Thon: I sometimes get ambitious on the weekend and
cook up a bunch of dishes specifically for the freezer. I plan my menu and buy
the ingredients accordingly. I try to make dishes with similar ingredients, such
as ground beef, so I can take advantage of the savings on family packs. You can
have spaghetti sauce on one burner and chili on the other with meatloaves in the
oven. It never hurts to have some baked goods in the freezer in case you have
unexpected company or you have to bring treats for "goody" day at work.
Freeze for Convenience: Not only do I freeze quantities of food for a family
meal, I also do single portions. For instance, I will buy a big bag of bagels
and freeze half of them in individual wrappings. It also helps prevent the
bagels from going stale--which can happen by the time we are reaching the end of
the bag. For breakfast, I can take one bagel out of the freezer, defrost it in
the microwave and then pop it in the toaster. My teenagers are always hungry so
I freeze one or 2 hamburgers in a bag. You can take leftovers and freeze them in
single servings for those nights that someone needs to eat ahead of the rest of
the family or you happen to be eating alone.
Seasonal Savings: I try to take
advantage of fruits & vegetables when they are in season. You can get larger
quantities and save money. Green and red peppers can be sliced and frozen on
cookie sheets before placing in freezer bags. By doing this, they won't stick
together and you can pull out what you need from a resealable freezer bag.

Fun Advice

By: Lisa Armstrong

Years from now when your kids recall their fondest childhood memories, chances are they'll talk about the great times the family spent together—you chasing them through the park, rowdy games of tag, charades in the family room while the rain pummeled the windows. Play is the essence of childhood. "It's how children learn everything the best, from reading to counting," explains Lawrence Cohen, PhD, author of Playful Parenting. But let's face it: We often feel too busy to get goofy with the kids. Yet play is good for us, too, a perfect way to reconnect with family at the end of a hectic day. "Playing is how parents and children—from toddlers to teenagers—communicate best," says Stephen Virgilio, PhD, author of Active Start for Healthy Kids. In fact, experts suggest that families get at least 30 minutes of play every day. To help you get your daily dose, we've collected creative, easy activities that will remind you how deliciously wonderful it is to simply be a kid.Family RoomIndoor OlympicsHere's an indoor contest that's low competition, high fun, from The Children's
Busy Book, by Trish Kuffner: Take turns standing on a taped starting line and see how far you can jump. After everyone decorates a paper plate to make a personalized discus, tape off a square on the floor and see who can toss his discus into it. For shot put, try throwing a balloon across a string line several feet away. The balloons won't travel far, so anyone who makes it deserves a medal! Bonus Learning Perk Even simple sports improve motor function and hand-eye coordination.Socks OffDr. Cohen calls this game "intro to wrestling"—just right for not-so-rough moms. Everyone takes off shoes but keeps socks on and then sits in a circle with all feet in the middle. After someone shouts, "Ready, set, go!" try to get everyone else's socks off using your feet, hands, whatever—while keeping yours on. The last person with a sock on wins.
Bonus Learning Perk Physical games like this enhance motor skills as they encourage strategic thinking.
Fall Fashion ShowIt's Fashion Week chez vous! Donna Erickson, host of the PBS show Donna's Day and author of Fabulous Funstuff for Families, suggests this entertaining way to prepare for back-to-school shopping: Have your kids model last year's outfits so you can see what fits and what doesn't.

Raising a teen

By: Sara Eckel source- workingmother.com
Certainly the challenges of raising a tween or teen
aren't new. What is new is that employers are recognizing working parents'
urgent need for support handling these challenges. That's why innovative
programs for adolescents—though they're far from widespread—are gaining ground
at some forward-thinking Working Mother 100 Best Companies. These businesses
understand that they need to provide support beyond child care for babies and
that bigger kids mean bigger challenges. They've also learned that their
employees' peace of mind is priceless. So they've let it be known that working
moms like Amanda can turn to them for help."If a parent is sitting at her desk
with a project that's due tomorrow and she can't locate her child, what's going
to take priority?" asks Maureen Corcoran, vice president of diversity at
Prudential Financial. "It's a problem that begs for help."Amanda signed up for
Carlson Companies' emotional support counseling, available through the company's
LifeWorks program. She and her daughter received several free visits with a
therapist who understood the parent-teen dynamic. The counseling helped mom and
daughter negotiate a balance between Amanda's desire for discipline and
Christina's wish for freedom. "Sometimes you just need to know the right thing
to say, and counseling from a professional really helps with that," says Amanda.

Individual counseling is only one of many ways that
companies are extending a helping hand to their mom and dad employees. Others
include support groups for the parents of teenagers and, for kids, cool camps
that promote building self-esteem and learning about such subjects as science,
as well as programs that offer volunteer opportunities and college-preparation
classes. Tackling the Tough StuffIt was standing room only at PNC Financial
Services Group's first Parenting-the-Teen Support Group in 2004, offered as part
of the company's observance of Effective Parenting Month. Feedback from the
event showed that working parents were spooked about issues like teen drug use
and eating disorders and wanted to know more about communicating with their
kids. The session's popularity spurred the launch of twice monthly Teen and
Tween Talks, in which experts lead lunchtime discussions on anything from teen
pregnancy to summer jobs. "When your child is young and in day care, you feel
like you have support," says Erin Walsh, the mother of two teenagers and a
technology officer for PNC in Pittsburgh. "The teachers work closely with your
child, so you can talk with them about parenting and developmental issues. Then
your kid hits twelve—and you're on your own."Erin finds PNC's teen support group
particularly helpful, especially the advice from other parents.

read full article...

Chill out, mom!

By: Michele Bender
Chill Out, Mom!

Most of us dream of a little downtime. But a new study from Ohio State University has found that even when women get time off from office and household tasks, they don't feel any less rushed. And married moms reported feeling rushed more than twice as often as single women without kids did. (Men, on the other hand, apparently kick back when they've got time off!) To help remedy this: Schedule free time that's not combined with other activities or responsibilities, such as a night out with your husband, an afternoon at the beach or a girlfriends-only brunch date.

Caffeine for Aches?

Caffeine may help prevent sore muscles. Researchers at the University of Georgia had women pop a caffeine pill (about the equivalent of two cups of coffee) before exercising and found that it reduced their postworkout soreness up to 48 percent—even better than other pain relievers such as aspirin and naproxen. Caffeine junkies, whose bodies may be less sensitive to its effect, might not benefit. But if you want to try coffee or tea before a workout, drink a glass of water before or during exercise, since caffeine is dehydrating.

Drink to Your Brain's Health

You may want to snag some of your kid's juice boxes for yourself. Fruit and vegetable juices may reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer's—especially if you're at high risk for the disease, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Medicine. Researchers found that those who drank juices made of fruits and veggies at least three times a week were 76 percent less likely to develop signs of Alzheimer's than those who sipped them less than once a week. Go for a juice that's low in sugar and, of course, actually made from real fruit.

When I need a break...

"For me 'mental health' is about the time and ability to be creative. My
creative outlet is quilting. What that means on most days is that when the
children are settled in for the evening, I get to spend an hour or so at my
quilt frame, stitching happily. Once a month it means I head off to Quilt Guild
meetings and meet with other adults who share my creative pursuits."-

Gail

"When I do get a break, it usually isn't for a whole day, but rather a few
cherished hours. My favorite way to spend that time is scrapbooking. I have a
great group of friends who get together about once a month to work on our books.
It's fun, relaxing, and rewarding to watch your work become something that will
be cherished for years to come."--

Mary Ellen
source- ivillage.com

How to keep sane as a working mom

Mother's day means something special to everyone.
For some busy moms, it means sleeping in; breakfast in bed; no household chores; or good old fashioned family time -- something many moms wish they had more of year 'round.
Forty-four percent of working moms say they'd take a pay cut if it meant they could spend more time with their kids.
That's according to a CareerBuilder.com survey of 1,124 women, employed full-time, with children under the age of 18 living at home.
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Nearly one-in-ten say they would give up ten percent or more of their salary.
Of working moms that are not the sole financial provider, nearly half (49 percent) say they would leave their job if their spouse or significant other made enough money for the family to live comfortably.

Moms are also missing quality time with their kids.
Thirty-two percent of working moms say they spend less than three hours per day with their kids. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) report they have missed three or more significant events in their child's life in the last year and more than a third have missed two or more.
Career moms should keep in mind that compensation isn't the only thing that is negotiable -- you can (and should) negotiate your schedule as well.

As companies face a shrinking pool of qualified labor, retaining top talent has become a key business objective and companies are reshaping their policies. From mother's rooms to flexible work schedules to job sharing to onsite daycare, company-wide initiatives to accommodate and even encourage employees to balance work and family life are becoming commonplace.
According to the survey, nearly four-in-ten working moms say their companies offer flexible work arrangements. Of those who have taken advantage of these arrangements, the vast majority say it has not negatively impacted their career progress.
Follow these tips for how to sell your boss on a more flexible schedule:

1. Have a game plan -- Your recommendation should be presented as a well thought out strategy that demonstrates how you'll be more productive in a flexible work situation. Come with a plan already laid out and show your boss you have thought through the process.

2. Ease into it -- Often companies implement new programs and strategies in stages -- in order to make your plan more palatable to your boss, consider a plan that will gradually work up to your goal.

3. Be prepared and practiced -- Anticipate questions/concerns your boss may raise and determine in advance how you will address these concerns. Also, be prepared to negotiate.
Also, here is a sampling of five of the top 10 companies with innovative policies for working moms, according to Working Mother magazine.