Metrowest Area Homes Team's Blog
It’s never too early or too late to start encouraging your children to explore new things and learn new skills. Children will spend most of their time at home, playing with various toys, and learning from their families.
One way we can encourage kids to learn is to create a positive learning environment within our homes.
Doing so doesn’t have to be an expensive or time-consuming project. There are many ways you can integrate fun learning experiences into your child’s daily life at home.
In this article, we’re going to cover some of the cheap and simple ways to create a positive learning environment right at home so that you can build upon what they have learned (or what they will be learning soon) at school.
It may come as no surprise that kids who read frequently are statistically more likely to excel at school. However, that doesn’t mean you just need to sit them down with a copy of Hamlet and wait for their Ivy League acceptance letter.
Reading can be an important way to learn and bond together with their child. The best way to encourage them to read is to read together the books that you’ll both enjoy.
Slowly building a home library or bookshelf is a fun way to visualize your hard work and all of the books you’ve read together. The best part is that you kind find countless used children's books for less than a dollar at your local thrift store.
Let your child take the lead
Creativity is something that is fostered and taught. Children are lucky to have active imaginations that let them make up games and stories on their own. However, you can help steer that creativity into fun projects at home that will produce something they can be proud of.
A good way to do this is to let your children direct you in the direction of their interests. If they ask you, “Can I try?” while you’re mixing cake batter, you’d often be surprised at how capable they are. Getting them involved doesn’t have to mean spending hundreds on a chemistry set that will be used just once--find ways they can help with projects that exist already around your house.
Be a mentor
Parenting is full-time work. It can be hard to find time to spend learning with children after a full day of work and cooking dinner, and it’s tempting to spend the rest of the night binge-watching Netflix shows. However, it’s possible to relax while still setting a good example for your child.
Watching science shows or nature documentaries together can help you both learn something new. Making trips to museums or growing a garden together on the weekends are other ways you can learn new things and skills and have fun with your children at the same time.
When it comes to food, eating healthy, home-cooked meals and nutritious snacks can be a way for both of you to improve your health and learn the benefits of nutrition.
4 Downey St, Hopkinton, MA 01748
What do buying a house, opening a credit card, and getting approved for an auto loan have in common? They all depend on your credit score.
Building credit is a multifaceted undertaking. In a way, this is a good thing--you wouldn’t want lenders to base their opinions solely on one aspect of your financial history. The downside is that understanding just what makes up your credit score can be difficult.
To complicate matters further, there isn’t one standard method for scoring your credit, and different credit bureaus each use their own criteria.
In this article, we’re going to talk about some of the factors the major credit bureaus use to calculate your credit, and give you some ways you can boost your credit.
But first, let’s talk about some of the implications of having a good credit score.
Why credit matters
Typical credit scores range anywhere from 250 to 850. The three main reporting agencies (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian). Most lenders use a combination of those scores that is reported by FICO.
Most credit reports will rank your category from “bad” to “excellent.” Here’s an example of what a credit ranking might look like:
Good: 700 - 749
Fair: 650 - 659
Poor: 550 - 649
U.S. legislation makes it possible for Americans to receive a free report of their credit score and to challenge and correct the score if it contains inaccuracies.
If you’re thinking about buying a house, opening a new line of credit, or taking out a loan of some kind, then the provider will likely run your credit score. Those providers are going to want to see a return on their investment, so they’ll charge interest.
If you have a high credit score, it tells the lenders that you are a low-risk investment, and therefore they can offer you a lower interest rate, saving you money in the long run.
Components of a credit score
There are five main factors that credit bureaus take into consideration when formulating your credit score. Not all of the factors are treated equally. Your ability to pay your bills on time, for example, is considered to be more important than the types of bills you have. Here’s a breakdown of the five components that make up a credit score:
35% - Bill and loan payments
30% - Current total amount of debt
15% - Amount of time you’ve had credit (since you took out your first loan or opened your first credit card)
10% - Types of credit (cards, loans, etc.)
10 % - New credit inquiries
Quick tips for building credit
It takes time to build credit and improve your score. So, if you’re hoping to buy a home within the next few years, now is the time to start working on your credit. Here are some best practices for building credit:
Set up autopay for your bills to avoid late payments. Even if the service doesn’t offer autopay, you can likely set up recurring payments through your bank.
Settle outstanding debt. Avoiding debt that you can’t pay off will only hurt you more in the long run. Call your creditor and see if they offer debt relief programs. More likely than not they’d rather work with you to ensure they receive some repayment rather than none at all.
Start budgeting the right way. New budgeting software like Mint and “You Need a Budget” are easy to use and link up with your accounts. They’ll help you monitor your spending and start paying off debt.
Don’t open new lines of credit close to when you want to take out a loan. New credit inquiries can briefly lower your credit, especially if you make more than one. Viewing your free credit reports doesn’t count as an inquiry, so feel free to do that as often as needed to check your progress.
Get credit for bills you’re already paying. You can report your monthly rent payments, switch bills into your name that you contribute to, or take out a credit builder loan. All three will help you build rent without changing your spending habits.
- Hydrangeas are a great pick for the front of your house. They attract the eye without being too ostentatious with their bell shaped pink and purple blooms. You will need three to five feet in height and spread to let them grow to their full potential. These are a great full plant to cover your plain or dare I say unsightly foundation.
- Blue Angel Hostas love the shady spots of the yard, and are a great pick for the tree lined portions of your home. They like living in moist mulch as most shade plants do, and will need about 3 feet in height and 4 feet in spread. These hostas have big leaves and small stalk blooms. Hostas are perennials, which means they will come back each year and, bonus, they will continue to spread throughout the years. This may mean dividing the plant every few years. They make a great housewarming gifts for your friends and family at times like these.
- Knockout Roses will last from the spring to the fall’s first frost--perfect for continuous beauty. These roses are very low maintenance and easy to maintain. Make sure to cut these roses back in the winter and this will give them a great chance to come back healthy each spring. Knockout roses will need four feet in height and three feet in spread. There are a great choice for any home.