Shopping Experiment

I have a confession. I don’t cook very often. Everyone in my family cooks really well. For me? It’s a swing and a miss. I decided recently (as I’ve done before) that I want to start cooking. Not all the time. But I definitely want to contribute to my family’s meal experience. By doing this I’ve learned many things.

#1: I’m about to be banned from the kitchen. It’s quite funny how bad I am at it. Rather than learning how to cook, I’m actually learning what I can pull off and what to stay away from.
#2: The crock pot and I don’t always get along.
#3: My son loves to help me cook so I can get in QT with him
#4 My husband will eat anything….God bless him.
#5: It really takes strategic planning……….or shopping rather.

My typical shopping consists of a minimum of 3 weekly trips to the grocery store to buy items of need, as they come up. (this is in theory of course because I rarely do the shopping) That’s a lot of wasted time when you think about it. Each trip is a minimum of 30 minutes. 30 minutes x 3 times per week= 6 hours per month. Not to mention the cost of gas and impacting the environment with the trips. For people who are so pressed for time these days, 2 hours is a lot. That’s enough time for a monthly massage and a trip to the park. I remember my mother and grandmother taking weekly grocery trips. In which they would buy massive amounts of food, usually hitting sales. Sales were their thing. It was a sport for them. I remember them discussing what needs to be done (what meat to take out of the freezer) the night before, planning dinner for the next day. Everything was already there. I never remember them starting a dinner and then realizing that they were out of something. Well, I didn’t pick up this lifestyle. For New Year’s Day while cooking for friends/family, I sent my poor husband four, that’s right FOUR, times to the store. So I decided now I want to have more of plan like the women before me.

I have a tight nit group of friends whom I talk to about everything. A friend of mine told me her secret. Which, now I know, is not a secret at all, lots of people do this. She takes the weekly sales papers that come in the mail (I usually throw it directly in the recycle box, without even glancing) and brings it to Wal-Mart where she normally does her shopping and they match any sales price. I’m thinking that sounds like a lot of work. I want to minimize my time not add to it. But she claims it really saves money. So I decided to conduct a little experiment, because I was not convinced.

Next time the sales papers came in, I started looking at them. I found things we normally buy and started circling all these great prices. My husband saw me and wanted to know what I was doing. I told him and he pointed out that most of the items I circled are what Wal-Mart usually charges. This is when it hit me. I have no earthly idea how price of things. How is this possible? My hobby is planning and budgeting for crying out loud! I can tell you right now how much we spend per month, how much we save, how much we donate, how much we invest, etc but I can’t tell you how much individual items are such as gas, food, etc. It really hit me hard when I realized that a gallon of milk isn’t $2.16. I really thought I was close too. It’s embarrassing. I started surveying people to see if they knew the price of things and most of them did. It took me a week to get over this.

And the sale papers came once again. So my experiment began…again. This time, I circled everything we normally buy. I typed up a grocery list with the items, the sale price and which paper it’s from. I did this because I’m used of shopping with a list and didn’t want to dig in each sale paper for each item. I dragged my husband with me to Wal-Mart for help. He totally thought I was nuts trying to save a few cents here and there. But it was for research!
I had to find each item and compare. Wal-Mart was already cheaper than half of items on my list. As for the other half, I saved a grand total of $12.73. That was actually a lot more than I expected. The discount on each item varied from $.06 to $4.84. Still, I’m thinking that the time spent circling the items, typing the list, having to point out each discounted item to the cashier and holding up the line of growing disgruntled shoppers at the register isn’t worth the savings.

On the other hand, let’s look at the big picture. Let’s say that $12.73 would be the average savings per week. $12.73 x 52 weeks= $661.96 per year. A huge chunk of Americans don’t have a nest egg (savings account). Let’s say you take those savings and put it in a savings account that earns 4% interest. How much do you think it’ll grow? Yep, you guessed it, I researched that too.

Current Savings:
$0.00
Years to Enrollment:
10 years
Interest Rate on Savings:
4.00%
Contribution Frequency:
Annually
Amount Saved Per Period:
$661.96
Total Contributions:
$6,619.60
Number of Contributions:
10
Total Interest Earnings:
$1,645.87
Interest Earnings Percentage:
19.91%
Total Projected Savings:
$8,265.47

This could help you in a number of ways 10 years from now. This is nothing but money you would have normally spent on food. Even if you’re not looking that far ahead, couldn’t you use an extra $661.96 per year? You can use it towards Christmas gifts, pay an extra mortgage/car payment, buy yourself something nice. Don’t care about having that extra money? Don’t need it? There are people in this world who greatly need it. You can donate it to the ones that do need it. Most people don’t donate money because they don’t have disposable income. Saving money that you normally spend on food can create disposable income to be able to give back.

Even in a recession, Americans are still very fortunate in comparison to the rest of the world. Yet we take our luxury for granted.

It’s not only about saving a buck. Most of us are fortunate enough not to worry about each nickel and dime. But I think it’s time for us to start thinking about how our actions affect us, our family and the world around us. Any small alteration to our lifestyle could greatly impact us, our family and others.

Will I continue to search for the sales? Maybe. Maybe not. But the research on this was fun and definitely a learning experience. I’m curious to hear your feedback.

Viewing Properties for Sale

I recently conducted a survey among friends, relatives and clients. There are many...many misconceptions about the home buying process. Here is one of the Q & A, which I elaborated on:

As a buyer, when I see a listed property I like, it's best to:

a) Call the listing agent/company who has the property I'm interested in 11%
Note: If the realtor currently represents the seller, and you don't have a buyer-agent agreement with that realtor....how well are you being represented in the event you decide to buy the home? Were you even offered a buyer-agent agreement? Who's interest does the agent hold? Yours? the sellers? Is she/he just seeing dollar signs?

b) Call my realtor to ensure my interest are represented 74%
Note: This is the best answer possible and the majority knew this. Most people start their search online (which is great!). However, they usually end up with whatever realtor they get on the phone when calling/emailing to inquire or schedule a showing. What most buyers don't realize is that they have a choice of many realtors who provide different levels of professionalism and service. Before you start searching online on your own, you should interview realtors and choose the one that suits you and your needs. By doing this, you'll have a realtor to call in the event you find something (online or driving by) you'd like
to view. Realtors can help you with anything on the market regardless of what company it's listed with. And with a buyer-agent agreement, you will have mutual promises in writing to ensure your interests are represented. The GoGetters conduct interviews via phone, online chats, webcam and in person....whatever fits your lifestyle. Email us: Kisha@KishaKana.com or Call 337.291.4754 for a buyer counseling session.

c) Call the list agent/company to get info and look at the property, then call my agent to assist me in buying it 16%
Note: I cannot stress enough on how big of a "no-no" this is. By doing this, you are unintentionally leading another agent into thinking that you are their client. By doing this, it causes unneccessary problems that are easily avoidable by communicating only to your realtor for information and showings.

For more information, please contact us.

Mardi Gras, Charity & Opportunities

Acadiana’s Mardi Gras Parade Schedule

Carencro Mardi Gras Parade
Feb 21
The Carencro Mardi Gras Parade is held each year on the Saturday before Mardi Gras beginning at 11 a.m. The parade travels down University Avenue from Butcher Switch Road to Railroad Street.

Youngsville Mardi Gras Parade
Feb 21 1pm
Starts at the Public Works building and ends at Fountain View

Children's Parade
Feb 21
Mardi Gras parade featuring Lafayette's children's krewes.Lafayette. 12:30 p.m.

Krewe of Bonaparte Mardi Gras Parade
Feb 21Lafayette. 6:30 pm

Queen's Parade
Feb 23Mardi Gras parade honoring the Southwest Mardi Gras Association's
Queen Evangeline.Lafayette. 6 p.m.

King's Parade
Feb 24
Mardi Gras parade honoring King Gabriel, reigning royalty for the
Southwest Mardi Gras Association.Lafayette. 10 a.m.

Lafayette Mardi Gras Festival Parade
Feb 24
Mardi Gras parade honoring King Toussaint L'Ouverture and Queen Suzanne Simonn.Lafayette. 1 p.m.

Independent Parade
Feb 24
Sponsored by KADN Fox 15/KLAF UPN TV.Lafayette. 2 pm.

January Charity Event Report:
In January we collected donations for the Faith House of Acadiana. This charity helps abused women break free from their abuser and start fresh. Thank you to those of you who were kind enough to contribute. We were able to bring four bags of clothes/household items along with a monetary donation to the Faith House.

February Charity Event Goal:
Help us support the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Acadiana. This program provides mentors to under privileged kids who are missing that adult figure in their life. Radim, Khaison and I will be bowling to raise money for this great cause. Please consider donating (even small amounts help). Minimum amount we need to raise is $105.
Please respond if you'd like to contribute.


Take advantage of every opportunity: The tax credit in the Stimulus Bill is $8000, or 10% of the value of the home for any first time homebuyers who purchase homes from the start of the year until the end of November. It starts phasing out for couples with incomes above $150,000 and single filers with incomes above $75,000, and buyers will have to repay the credit if they sell their homes within three years.

Slow down.....

What a gorgeous weekend Lafayette LA displayed! Perfectly clear blue skies, sunny and about 70 degrees with a breeze. Why the weather report? It has a lot to do with how I structured my weekend.

Normally, I work seven days a week. Even in my free time, I'm working. Filing paperwork, analysis, statistics...all which I consider fun. I can't sit still. I'm constantly in motion. And I'm not alone. We live in a very fast paced society. Everything was due yesterday and we are programmed to constantly do things quickly, with little to no tolerance for delay.

With today's technology, we are constantly connected. We are available to everyone all the time. But how connected are we to the things around us? Are we so immersed with our cell phone and the internet that we don't notice others around us? How often do we sit in silence? How often, when running from place to place, do we really notice the view?

I make it a point to be in the moment, no matter where I am. When I'm with clients, I don't answer the phone because I believe it's rude. Same when I'm having lunch or dinner with someone. When I'm attending a continuing education class...I don't text or email. I save that for the breaks, along with returning calls. I don't bring my phone down at all in church. You get the point. I'm pretty good about balancing "being connected" with "being in the moment".

But where I find I lack is enjoying the simple things. Paperwork and statistics will be there tomorrow. How often to I sit still and do nothing? The day was so gorgeous Saturday that I gave away my afternoon phone duty to venture out and do something different. I was going donate blood for a friend in need and couldn't go to the park if I showed up for phone duty (which is floor time at the office to answer incoming calls, for those of you not in real estate). So I packed up the car with a blanket, soccer ball, husband(who had to cancel his workout) and son and headed to the park. I thought about bringing a book because I knew I'd be bored otherwise but decided against it. The whole point was to do nothing. And not feel guilty for it. We did make a pit stop for sandwiches from Quiznos. (if you haven't realized, I'm not all that domestic and was not prepared for a real picnic)

The park was packed with people but not in an annoying way. There was plenty of space for everyone. We sat and ate our sandwiches. Then we sprawled out on the blanket. Sometimes talking, sometimes not. We stared at the sky. We watched other people. We even did yoga. Khaison, our son, didn't want to play on the playground. He was content kicking around a soccer ball.

The theme continued to the night. We didn't watch tv or play the Wii. We played Monopoly for three hours. Khaison seriously beat his two realtor parents....go figure.

For those of you that are thinking, "What is this chic writing about? My weekends are always like that." Good for you! You get it! You are already enjoying the little things in life. For those of you who can relate to me...you should definitely try just doing nothing. I felt the grass beneath my feet yesterday. How often do you feel the grass beneath your feet? How often do you take in the scenery? How often do you play a board game?

I now feel rejuvenated. Remember that life is good but if you don't slow down and enjoy it, it'll pass you by.

Perception of a realtor

What do people think of when they picture a real estate agent? Most likely they will see a very busy individual that is constantly running around on the phone , emailing, texting and driving all at the same time. Most people probably see someone who is constantly in a hurry to make that next commission. People most likely will feel that there agent is overpaid. Why pay this person when I can do it myself for free?
Problem is…there is some truth to the perception, depending on what type realtor that person has dealt with. Bottom line is, the public has no clue what realtors do nor do they need to know exactly all what we do. What they do need to know is that we know what we’re doing when we are providing services to them.

How do the Real Estate GoGetters overcome the negative perception the public has of realtors?

Everywhere we go, people want to talk to us about real estate. We take that opportunity to listen and learn from it. People are quick to tell us negative experiences. We rarely hear of the positive ones. We try to take those negative perceptions and use them as a tool to perfect our services.
Effectively communicating is key. Most complaints are due to poor communication between realtor and client.
First off, before engaging in a realtor/client relationship…we conduct a counseling session, tailored for a buyer or seller, whatever the case may be. In this session, the process of buying or selling is broken down and explained to them. Our roles as well as theirs are identified. We feel that by doing this, the client knows what to expect.
Our services are systematic and consistent. Through continuing education, such as CRS courses…we have been able to put a system in place that allows us to cater to our growing clientele. Clients see that we are steadily busy but not frazzled nor overwhelmed.
Our means of communication is flexible and tailored to the comfort level and preference of each individual client. Our clients have the option of phone calls, internet chatting, text messaging, emails and webcam chats. Our clients also have our full attention when interacting with us. We do not answer our phone when we are with clients. We live in the here and now. It’s not necessary to constantly be “plugged” in order to be successful. We return calls and emails the same day. Clients respect that about us. They are okay with waiting on a return call because they are confident that it will be returned and with full attention.
Throughout any process, listing or selling, the client is constantly informed of what’s going on through weekly updates and copies of emails regarding the transaction.

As far as perception on honesty, integrity and ethics…there should be no problem. I’m appalled that this is not obvious. If you, as a client question your realtor’s honesty, integrity and ethics—run fast!
GoGetters on Honesty: Don’t ask if you don’t want an honest answer. It’s like diarrhea of the mouth for us…it’s coming right out! We don’t use “sales” tactics. We’re not in sales. We are service providers. We are here to assist you in accomplishing your real estate needs/goals.
GoGetters on Integrity: Our clients’ needs are put first. Seriously. We love what we do. We get paid for it. But our clients are not a paycheck to us. We only work with clients that are committed to us. We work with clients with different needs in all price ranges.
GoGetters on Ethics: We work with buyers and sellers by contract only. We pay close attention to our fiduciary duties. We do not steal other realtor’s clients. If we learn that you were working with a realtor prior to us, we are willing to work with you only if there services were unsatisfactory to you. We also give the realtor a courtesy call and possibly more depending on the situation. We don’t compete…we create! Maintaining professionalism is very important to us.

In a nutshell, we run our real estate services as a business. An honest, professional, successful real estate business. Money comes and goes but relationships last a lifetime.
Please contact me with questions or if you’d like for me to elaborate.

Home is where your heart is...

I'm from a small town. A really small town. I still have the same friends as I did in kindergarten and the ones I made in highschool. Our friendships have evolved. We don't spend alot of time with each other. We see each other at weddings, showers, funerals and occasionally out shopping. But there is comfort in knowing that we're there. A phone call away. I'd like to think that everyone has this but I know it's special and rare.

We recently started a supper club with just the girls from the actual graduating class (not including the ones who graduated elsewhere). Tonight was the first night. I really didn't want to go. I've been working alot. I'm tired. I'm worn out. I badly needed rest. I actually cried on the way there because I'm exhausted and depressed. Why do I put so much on my plate? I think to myself. I have a really fast paced high demand job that I love but leaves little to no time for a social life outside of work. But I'm determined to squeeze in charity work, family time, social activities and time for myself. Most of the time I love the chaotic lifestyle and the efficiency of the way I fit all corners of my life into my daily schedule. However, a day like today I was feeling sorry for myself and stressed.

I wiped my face before I arrived. I "pushed" through a 20 minute panic attack and ended up having a great time. No matter how much time passes between visits with my friends, it feels like yesterday when we get together. There are no awkward pauses. There is a constant flow of chatter gaining octaves as one tries to be heard over the other. These people know me. Really know me. No matter where I go in life, or how many people I meet, I only really feel comfortable with these people. Truly comfortable. We can laugh. Really laugh, not laugh to be polite. We can talk really fast without having to worry about our accents and dialect. I have changed so much yet stayed much of the same. We all except each other for who we are. We will always have each other in our hearts. And sometimes we have each other for a few hours of conversation and laughter.

I know they have there own lives that are just as busy and between work and kids it's hard to share themselves with others. But tonight they really lifted my spirits and reminded me that we all have to make time and share ourselves with others. Even simple things can make the world of difference in someone else's life.

Local Market Facts

I absolutely love to talk about real estate. Usually everywhere I go, I try to direct the conversation, at some point, towards real estate. It’s what I do, it’s what I know and it’s what I love. Lately, I don’t have to weasel real estate into the conversation. Now it’s the first thing people want to talk about when they see me. Fantastic! However, thanks to the national media (who is always just full of positive news) , I usually get “How’s the market?” asked gingerly with pity. When I respond, “Great!” They are shocked and may not even believe me.

Lately, I have buyers and sellers who are informed by peers and family members who watch and read the national news. It’s absolutely wonderful that everyone is concerned and taking an interest in real estate. One question that you should always ask yourself when being fed someone’s facts (opinions) about the market. What is their source? Are they a real estate professional? It is always wise to double check the information with your local real estate professional. I’m always open for questions. Kisha@KishaKana.com

Here are some local market facts for Acadiana, which is located in Louisiana and consists of the following parishes Lafayette, St. Martin, Iberia, Vermillion, St. Landry, Acadia and St. Mary.

Data was gathered from the Realtor Association of Acadiana’s MLS system. There is no implied warranty of the accuracy of the information. I can only go by what was reported to the MLS. Years studied were 1993 to 2008.

Today you can buy an averaged priced home for the price of $170,000 that was on the market for an average of 88 days. Rewind to 15 years ago in 1993, and you could have bought an averaged priced house for $90,000 that was on the market for 98 days. That is a 53% increase in average sales price over the course of 15 years. 1738 homes were sold in 1993 in comparison to 2008’s 3488. Here’s the last 15 years in review:

Year: Average Sales Price Comparison to previous year
1993 $90,037 N/A
1994 $94,353 5% increase
1995 $102,397 8% increase
1996 $108,623 6% increase
1997 $114,924 5.5% increase
1998 $120,808 5% increase
1999 $123,840 2.5% increase
2000 $124,283 less than 1% increase
2001 $129,536 4% increase
2002 $128,886 1% decrease
2003 $133,692 4% increase
2004 $142,171 6% increase
2005 $162,712 13% increase
2006 $175,837 7.5% increase
2007 $178,453 1.5% increase
2008 $169,858 5% decrease

After the one decrease in 2002, the rates dropped to similar numbers we’re seeing today in 2003 and business picked up again. Acadiana has always done their own thing, real estate wise, than the rest of the country. When parts of the nation were rising to incredible prices, were still gradually increasing. The only spikes you’ll see is 2005-2006 that were a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Lots of newly homeless people had no choice but to relocate in Acadiana. The 5% decrease you see in 2008? That’s the market correcting itself from the unusual price spikes we saw. Overall, Acadiana’s market seems to increase 4% per year. We are still ahead! Although NO ONE can predict the future of real estate, one could assume the following: If history repeats itself, as it usually does, one could invest in a $170,000 home and in 15 years would receive a $102,000 return on investment.
My professional opinion of today’s market is this: It’s still a powerful investment. The rates are at an all time low and that is going to jump start sales. Lots of buyers are sitting on the fence waiting for “rock bottom” prices. But just like the stock market, you don’t know it hit “rock bottom” until it’s already on its way back up. Don’t delay. Buy when it’s the right time for you. Take advantage of the super low rates today because we don’t know how long it will last.

Hugs...good or bad?

A little before Christmas, the CEO of the company I work for sent me the following youtube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4 I thought it was such a cool idea. How simple but profound...free hugs. I then visited www.freehugscampaign.org and read what this was all about. My take on it was that it was a great way to show others that time and compassion are much more valuable than any gift that can be bought in a store. Lafayette, LA isn't the type of city that has heavy foot traffic. The only place I knew would be packed Christmas Eve day would be the mall. Even better!!! While people are running frantic to find that "perfect gift", a hug or the idea of a hug could shed some light and help them to remember that it's about people, not things.

So I went down to the mall on December 23rd with my great spinoff idea. I'm just smitten, thinking to myself that I'll make this an annual thing. For those of you who didn't click on the above links....here's the plan, in a nutshell. I was planning to hold a sign that says "FREE HUGS". People who want or need one can approach and hug me. Those who don't want to can pass me by. Simple right?

I went to the mall office (i didn't even know one existed until I spoke to customer service). I met with a young man in his office. I asked permission for the above plan. He sat laid back with one foot propped (on a coffee table I think) and asked a series of questions. His main concern was that people were going to feel violated. Their personal space is at stake! To answer that concern, I explained that there is no violation of personal space. No one would be approached or spoken to unless they approached me. He decided to give me an example. The booths in the middle aisles of the mall where the salespeople use very aggressive sales tactics to where they stand in your way, violates people's personal space. HHmmm...okay...then why are they in the mall if that is a major concern of yours? I wonder to him. The response was that it's contractual and he has no control over it. Okay....

On the the next obstacle, which was that I would need a MILLION DOLLAR insurance policy to be able to do this on the mall premises. This shouldn't be a big deal I'm thinking to myself. I could make a phone call my my liability insurance agent and find out if it would cover this. But for what? So I inquired of the reason. He responded that I could get hurt such as slipping and falling. Again, I wondered aloud....Every person in the mall could potentially slip and fall, do you require your shoppers to carry million dollar policies?

My mission wasn't to inspire others to hug strangers. It was beyond that. I was hoping to inspire others to think outside the box. I was hoping to shock folks with the oddity of it all. My mission was to help people realize that ANYONE can do charity work. Think simple. Well, this guy didn't get it and he wasn't having it in his mall.

To shut me up, his bottom line was actually that he doesn't think that the mall is the best place to test drive this idea. Fair enough. I asked where would he suggest an idea like this would be more acceptable. He actually had a couple of good ideas....social events and college campus. I thanked him and left.

Out of curiosity, before leaving, I asked what would have happened to me if I would have gave out free hugs in the mall without consulting him. He informed me that I would have been arrested on trespassing and assault charges. WOW!

I was in awe. My mind played back to when I visited YouTube and the site for Free Hugs. I read briefly on how Free Hugs were banned but didn't pay much mind to it. I thought that was absurd. How can you have a law against hugging people who want to be hugged? I realized that the guy I spoke to at the mall did his job well. I'm not criticizing him. He's doing what he knows needs to be done because of past experience, I'm sure. It just makes me sad that there is so much red tape for something as simple as this. Come to think of it, there is red tape and precaution for EVERYTHING. Why is that you think? I would love here others ideas on this....

New Year's Resolutions 2009

The GoGetters’ mentality is all about living a healthy, quality life. We care about our friends, family and clients. Whatever your new year’s resolution may be, we encourage you!

90% of all resolutions dissolve before the month of January is up. The GoGetters always have a list of resolutions and complete 70% of them. It’s important to focus on your productivity and not get held back by your faults. Except yourself as human and take pride in your accomplishments. Here are some tips from the GoGetters on how to stick to your new year’s resolution:

#1 If you have more than one, don’t try to tackle them all at once. Take one at a time, for 30 days. Once you’ve reached your thirty day mark of implementing a new habit, then add the next resolution and repeat until you’ve implemented all of them.

#2 Break down your resolutions in steps. “Pay off credit cards” isn’t sufficient. What do you need to do to accomplish this? Your steps may look like this: 1) Get a part time job to generate more income used to pay down debt. 2) Cut out eating out to only once per week. 3) Pay $500 towards credit cards monthly

#3 Create a visual in a place that you will see it every day, such as the bathroom mirror. And keep it positive. If your goal is to get in shape, don’t put a recent picture of yourself. Put an old picture of yourself if you’d like to have that shape back. Or put a picture of someone’s body you admire. You can also put it on the fridge or pantry.

#4 Review your goals weekly or monthly. Depending on the resolution, you need to constantly review and excite yourself about it. Set time aside to reflect and plan and alter your goals to stay on track.

#5 Make resolutions that are important to you, not what others expect from you. Bottom line is.. if you really want it, you can achieve it.


If you can’t think of a resolution on your own or if you’re not the resolution type of person but are open to ideas of change for well being, here are some simple suggestions to implement in everyday life:

*FEED YOUR BODY AND MIND Take a 10-20 minute walk each day alone(time to yourself) or with your spouse and/or kids (quality time, which is hard to squeeze into our busy lives) This will give you more energy and relieve stress/depression.

*FEED YOUR SOUL Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes(or meditation/prayer) We are constantly connected—to the cell, the internet,etc running around all day, only gaining “peace” when sleeping and then if it’s not restless. Take time for silence…the world will still be there in 10 minutes.

*FEED YOUR BODY Take your weight and divide it by 2. That’s how many ounces of water you need to consume daily. There are numerous benefits to proper water consumption, too many to list here. Google it.

*FEED YOUR MIND Watch less TV/negative news and Read positive self growth books. Or any books. Reading expands the mind and vocabulary. Carry a paperback with you (in your car, purse, back pocket, etc) There is plenty opportunity to read in everyday life. Waiting at the doctor’s office. In line at the grocery store. While your child is at soccer practice.

*FEED YOUR FAMILY. Seriously. Eat dinner at the table. Turn off the tv, the computer, the video games and sit down , eat and talk. Talk about your day. Kids who eat dinner at the table are less likely to go behind your back and lie to you. It’s a great bonding experience.

May you have a prosperous New Year!!!