Life Hacks for Savvy Moms and Dads 

Have you ever wanted to add to your parenting toolbox? Moms and dads often get the urge to deepen their talent when a troublesome life situation pops up. Others simply are always on the lookout for new, creative ways to bring their children up safely. It’s important to remember that not all shortcuts and hints for parents are money-related. Some are just about how to communicate with youngsters, where to find healthful food, how to get boys and girls interested in music learning, and more. Here are several life hacks that help you leverage the skills you already have and build on the solid relationship you currently enjoy with your sons and daughters. 

Be Smart About Music Lessons 

Entire books have been written about how to get kids interested in music. One of the simplest ways is to work with a music school that offers exploratory lessons in multiple instruments. These ingenious systems let kids take their time, rent musical instruments, and take a series of six-month lessons in piano, guitar, drums, violin, and other choices until they find one they enjoy most. 

Convert Life Insurance to Cash 

For access to instant cash, you can sell an unneeded life insurance policy through a process called a life settlement. In addition to getting a one-time payout, you’ll never have to worry about making premium payments again. That’s because the buyer takes over owning and making payments on the policy. You get a cash settlement. To learn more about how to sell your policy when you no longer need it, review a comprehensive online guide that explains how to find out the dollar value of your life insurance policy. From there, the decision is yours. Many parents use life settlements to add to savings and retirement accounts. 

Join a Food Cooperative 

Joining a food co-op in your community is a great way to support local farmers, gain access to healthful produce, and get low prices on bulk purchases of staples. Most co-ops are tied in with farmers’ markets and wholesale grocery groups that help customers save money and have more food choices. 

Hold Family Meeting Every Week 

Family meetings have fallen out of vogue but are starting to make a comeback. Parents are once again realizing the inherent value of holding regular sessions where youngsters get a chance to ask questions, discuss upcoming events, and request help with anything that’s giving them trouble at school or in life. Parents can use the meetings to explain big decisions like relocations or new jobs. If you hold family meetings, try to do so on weeknights instead of weekends. 

Have at Least One Joint Activity 

Try to find one or more savvy ways to pass the time doing fun activities that the entire family can enjoy together. Bowling nights, group skating, hiking, and board games are some top choices in this category. The central feature should be that everyone gets an equal chance to participate and no one feels left out. Consider anything that can be done at least once per week. Events like road trips and vacations don’t count because most families can’t do them four times per month. Plan for fun, carefree afternoons and evenings together as a group.