School is out for another month. Are your kids sitting by the TV zoned-out? Here are a few fun and different activities you can do with the kids.

1. If you live near a farm, see if they have fruit picking. Kids can get involved in the picking. They may get fruit stains, but it’s fun.

2. Go on a picnic at your local park. Let them run wild! Plus, it’s a great way to enjoy some family time too.

3. If you live in a city, take them on a city tour. Hop on one of those duck buses or trolleys that go through the city and point out historic events and places. Jump off at places they pick to learn more about. They will gain perspective and appreciate where they live too.

4. Camp out…in your backyard! Roast marshmallows, have a tent, sing songs, and watch the stars.

If all else fails, join the local YMCA or a local community center and enroll them in swimming, karate, dance, or gymnastics. There is no reason for kids to be bored, and you shouldn’t be either! Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Recently, my daughter and her family moved from New Jersey to South Carolina, due to job relocation. These tools helped her and her husband assess the area before they got settled:

www.cnnmoney.com/tools/costofliving – Cost of living in their new city
www.homefair.com — Neighborhoods for them to investigate
www.schooldatadirect.org — Picking the right school district
www.zillow.com — Home prices

If you are in the same boat, these sites may be valuable resources, as they proved to be for my daughter and her family. I hope they will be helpful to you too. Happy Hunting!

1. Turn the lights off if you are leaving a room for more than 10 minutes.
2. Turn off your computer and monitor when leaving for the day.
3. Use recycled paper.
4. If possible, car-pool or take public transportation to and from work.
5. Stay away from plastic. Use reusable cups instead of buying bottled water.

Join Entrust California on September 10, 2010 at a special presentation titled “Intelligent IRA Investing.” Seek answers from IRA experts, an attorney, and experienced investors who have used their IRA to invest in the cash flow of their choice. Interested in learning more? Visit the website, www.entrustcalifornia.com/investor-workshop, and get more information today!

I recently read an article in Enterprising Women magazine that struck me. What is the difference between customer experience and customer service? I thought they were the same but here it is:

Customer service has to do with the personal interaction the customer has with the business, sales staff, and personnel. Customer experience has to do with the ways in which the business touches the customer. Customers have expectations all along the way of doing business with a company. These include not only customer–facing areas such as sales, but also advertising promises, billing processes, returns, technical support, etc.

In the end, the successful professional needs both customer service and customer experience, as each interaction is an opportunity for a business to build a loyal following. By offering the experience, the customer will refer you business, then your customer service keeps that referral happy!

I was recently recommended to check out this website on health issues for women, and found it to be great. I hope it helps you too. Check out www.HealthyWomen.org, where you can get answers to questions about your health issues.

Have you ever asked yourself, how much is enough?

This usually happens when one goes unemployed, or has a major life change such as illness, death of a loved one, etc. But more and more, I am finding people in their middle age asking themselves, just like the song: “Is that all there is?”

Good question. Is there a connection between wealth and happiness? I believe we need balance. Our value systems are as individual as we are. I have spent the last several years working harder than I have ever worked in my life. I have worked so hard it has affected my health at times, and I have been told to slow down. I did not listen.

It took a major life event for me to finally recognize what I missed: Myself. This was not an easy or happy realization, when I finally discovered that life is more than working. Many of us view our work as our identity. The purpose of today’s blog is to help you take a step back and ask yourself what’s important.

Are you in the rat race? Buying a new toy will bring you immediate fulfillment, but in the long run was it worth it? As for me, I’m taking Pilates, which has helped a lot! I am back on the right track, and I hope you can get there too.

Special teams of female marines are getting shipped out to Afghanistan. The mission is not one of combat in the war zone. It is one of cultivating goodwill among Afghan women. American women are bridging the gap where no man would ever be welcome. As a result, Afghan women are getting medical care for themselves and their children through these female teams, who develop a basic level of trust and communication based on the fact they all have something in common: Being a woman!

This special program is slowly making strides. Isn’t it great that women can make peace (that is not to say men can’t) in an area of the world with so much mistrust and unrest? I thought I would share this uplifting story about something positive happening to help those who really need it. You go girls!

We all have great imaginations. I, for one, imagine the terrible feeling of not having the money to take care of myself in old age. I have seen that scenario unfold firsthand with friends and family. I never want to have to ask my kids for financial help as I age, yet I think all of us have some fear of running out of money before our time is up.

What can we do to stay on top of our financial future? Especially since everything published these days states that a healthy woman could live well into her 80’s. The number one area we have control over is our IRA. We need all of the money we can get in our IRA, and we need it to last us. If you are age 50 or over, take advantage of catch-up contributions you can make to your plan. Fund the max, whether it’s with an IRA or a 401 (k). No excuses, it’s a forced savings plan.

But don’t let it just sit there, your retirement plan needs investing. With a self-directed IRA you can invest in alternative assets that you control, that make sense in today’s market. Assets such as real estate, precious metals, or lending money (to name just a few) are areas you can invest with your tax-deferred or tax-free account. A self-directed IRA is a personal choice IRA where you can freely say: “I want some say over what my investments should be.” Is this you? Is a self-directed IRA for everyone? Find out at www.theentrustgroup.com and start building your financial freedom today.

As the uncertainty in real estate markets continues, I hear investors asking, “is now the time to buy?” I believe we all have to step back and evaluate the basics of why we consider buying real estate in the first place. There are four main factors: Income, appreciation, cash flow, and tax benefits. Which are most important to you? Once you have assessed this question, you must ask yourself is: Can I afford it? If not, can I find a lender? Can I get the seller to help? What is the real cost in money and effort, and can I really afford it?

Property Insurance, taxes, and maintenance can add 30% to your cost of ownership in a property. It’s true that you make money in real estate when you buy, but even if you buy cheap, ask yourself if you can really afford the money, manpower, sweat equity, and hassles with tenants. The most successful real estate investors I know make unemotional decisions, and have that question in their mind every time they buy or they pass on a deal. Letting your emotions rule you will get you in trouble. Ask yourself if you can really afford the full cost of ownership any time you think you want to buy a great investment property, or I guess it could work with any investment for that matter!