Mandy, Author at Serendipity Mommy

5 Unique Personalized Gift Ideas For The Hard-To-Buy-For

January 27, 2020 by Mandy

Having trouble thinking of a gift for someone?

Thinking of a gift for someone is hard enough on its own. Thinking of a gift for someone who has everything makes the task next to impossible, especially if the event is approaching soon. This will put you under pressure and can make it harder to decide on what to give them.

You can go for something unique and trendy if it comes down to it, but it won’t leave a lasting impression on the recipient. Consider unique personalized gifts instead if you want your present to make them feel special.

Here are 5 great personalized gift options to get your friends and family. Check them out and make them feel special.

1. Bracelets and Necklaces

The most common among unique personalized gifts come in a bracelet or necklace form. This is the perfect medium for different personalization options. You can customize these pieces of jewelry to fit the would-be wearer once they put it on.

You can go simple and have their first name incorporated into these. This is a trend these days and it will make the recipient happy that you got them this. Family names are also great if you want to get a set for the entire family.

You can also put their birthdates on them. The beauty of this method is that there are limitless possibilities for customization options. What’s great is that they will all turn out beautiful.

2. Aging Barrels

People are getting into brewing and aging their alcohol nowadays. This is because it’s more economical and it also makes them look more sophisticated. If the recipient is like one of these people, then a personalized aging barrel is perfect for them.

What’s great is that you can choose the material and the size of the barrel. This makes for specific flavors of alcohol that the recipient likes.

Oak is a great choice if you want to get them a personalized whiskey barrel and hickory is great for ales. What’s important is that you choose the right barrel to suit the taste of the recipient.

3. Carry-All and Suitcases

Does your friend or family member love travel? Why not get them a traveling bag that they’ll use all the time?

Personalized suitcases or carry-all bags are popular among travelers today. This is because they’re stylish and unique to the carrier. It also makes it easier for them to identify their luggage among the other bags.

4. Journal and Diaries

Nothing is more personal than a journal or diary. The only thing about it is that you can make it even more personal by adding personalized elements to it.

Keeping to a theme is great, but adding the elements that the recipient loves is better for this. Doing this will make this personal effect even more personalized.

Journals are often mediums for a person’s thoughts. People often forget about important thoughts if they don’t write it down as soon as possible. Add the recipient’s name to the cover to know how you value their thoughts.

5. Moon Phase Amulet

This is a new trend that can also become personalized for you and the recipient. Picking a specific date and looking up the moon phase during that date makes for a great personal gift. This guarantees that the recipient will feel special.

Doing this requires a bit of research on your part. This will be worth it to have them know you’re willing to go through anything to make them feel special.

Try These Unique Personalized Gifts Today

Unique personalized gifts are the best gift you could get or give. Get something special for them today!

Looking for more great gift ideas? Check out our other guides to learn more ways to make someone feel loved and appreciated on their special day!

6 Things That Won’t Affect Your Credit Score

January 24, 2020 by Mandy

Image source: pixabay.com

A credit score is a numerical and statistic figure that depicts an individual’s creditworthiness. This is based on your credit history and an analysis of a person’s credit files and reports. A credit score ranges from 300 to 850 on average; the higher a credit score may be, the more trustworthy a person is considered in terms of his financing.

Credit scores are also based on how you deal with making payments on time, as well as the position of accounts that you may have in good standing. A decent credit score instantly elevates your chances of securing a loan at low-interest rates but if you have any unsecured business loans, the scenario can be changed.

Similarly, you can save tremendous amounts, such as bearing the high cost of interest rates. Apart from that, you also have an edge when it comes to getting employed as employers can view how responsible you are and can be impressed enough to land you a dream job.

You can also eliminate the possibility of having to put up with a security deposit when applying for a loan or paying on installments. Renting an apartment and paying lower premiums for insurances such as automobiles and premises is dependant and is made easier as per the liability of your credit score.

Several factors may impact your credit scores directly or indirectly. Some of which may be positive or negative. You must focus on being able to maintain a sound credit score while also not having to worry about some adjustments that may come about due to various reasons but will not affect the overall status of your credit score.

1. Income fluctuation

A common misconception is that your salary affects your credit score. That is actually not the case. Sure, your employer may be listed on your credit report, but that does not have an impact on your credit score. There is no connection between a credit score and your income, neither earning a high wage help in having a high credit score.

Your credit scores will remain unchanged, and whether or not it’s reasonable depends on other factors. It is also possible to have a good credit score while you are unemployed, receiving unemployment benefits by the government, surviving on pensions, or living hand to mouth. However, a factor to keep in mind is that it may indirectly cause an influence. Losing your job could hurt being able to pay your bills on time, which in turn could obviously then affect your credit score. Lenders and institutions that can provide you with financial assistance may have a look at your salary to assess whether or not you could afford the repayment and then decide a period for that accordingly.

2. Personal life and information

Credit reports consist of your necessary personal information. This includes your name, your address (and any changes to it), date of birth, social security number, and public information about your financial history. Credit files do not take into account irrelevant information such as your race, marital status, level of education, income, and political party.

Thus, it will not bring about any change in your credit score. Similarly, it is essential to note that your marital status will not affect your credit score, as in your credit history, and the score is never merged or combined with your spouse’s. Even if your partner has a poor credit score, it won’t affect yours, neither will it have an impact on your chances of securing a loan and enjoying other benefits. That is unless the two of you opt and apply for a joint mortgage or use a joint credit card, but in no way can it change the status of your personal credit score, good or bad.

Filing for divorce also does not affect your credit score directly, but any late payments to your bills could prove to be a problem which could then negatively impact your credit score. In case you and your spouse jointly own premises or property, you both will be held responsible for any debts you may incur and have to pay off.

3. Denied credit

In the unlikely event of you being denied credit or if your application for a loan may be disapproved of, you will not have to worry about it affecting your credit score. Fortunately enough, any acceptance or disapprovals of your investments and credit denial will not show up on your credit history.

The only consequence you may face as a result of credit denial is a ‘hard inquiry’ the next time you do apply for a loan or any financial assistance. However, it is temporary and is not a factor to worry about, apart from this, there is no other downside that you will have to face if your credit gets denied.

4. Payments to small scale businesses

Credit bureaus are the ones who look after and assess your credit scores. They tend to be quite strict when it comes to choosing who can deliver and report financial related consumer information to them. In most cases, small scale business is deprived of this ability.

Payments in the form of bills to small companies such as lawn care, pest control, personal services, and rent do not appear on your credit report. In case a company that is feasible enough to report to credit, bureaus do not report payment information on the time it could affect your financial history with that the company could affect your credit score.

5. Paying for someone else

Acts of kindness go a long way, but not long enough to change your credit scores. If you do intend to help out a family member or friend who may be suffering from a budget constraint, you must acknowledge that such a thing will not bring a change to your credit scores; therefore, it should be done purely for the contentment of your heart. A credit file will only have a report of anyone who owns the bill, without considering who actually might pay for the debt.

6. Your interest rate

While you are applying for a loan, you may be keen to shop around for the best and lowest interest rates out there. Don’t hesitate to do so as multiple inquiries are often considered as one if they typically occur in a span of a couple of weeks. Yes, scoring models are delicate and fragile enough to take notice when you are out shopping for the best interest rates but that won’t create an impact on your credit score.

These are some of the many factors that do not bring about any change to your credit score. A decent credit score can be attained mainly on your responsiveness to paying bills and making payments efficiently and at the right time. There may be indirect impacts on your credit score, but nothing that could directly affect it.

You must enlighten yourself with information about factors that impact your credit score and sort it out with misconceptions that do not. Make sure you are not stressing out on minor details such as the above that you may think is impacting your credit score but are actually not. Keep track of your credit files and history to stay updated with your financial accounts.

6 Tips on Dealing with Home Financing

January 23, 2020 by Mandy

Purchasing a house is no easy task. This is especially true if you’re a first-time buyer. With so many things you need to do and research, things can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. However, thanks to the professionals in the real estate industry, as well as the internet, you’ll be able to find some relevant information quite easily.

That being said, though, you will still need to organize the entire process down to a tee. So, with that in mind, here are some useful tips on how to properly deal with your home financing.

Do your research

Since you’re not trying to buy a t-shirt you will wear for a couple of times and then donate, you should do some research. Here, you should consider your needs, inspect the current prices in the real estate market and see what is being offered. Also, research the areas you might be most interested in or the state you’re about to move to. Moreover, try to see if the area you’re moving to has growth potential. If it does, that means you could probably sell your house for more profit later on. Additionally, find out what you should be looking for in a real estate agent if you’re planning on hiring one.

Plan your budget thoroughly

The next thing you should take care of is your budget. Planning a budget for purchasing a house will require you to dive deep into your personal finances. See what your loan options are and try to get approved for a mortgage. However, see to it that you get a mortgage consistency built into your contract because the real estate market is fairly uncertain. Additionally, when planning a budget, do know that you’ll need to account for more than just the price of the property. You will also need to include renovation prices and have a contingency budget (of roughly 20%) in case anything unexpected happens.

Secure a loan

Moreover, you will need to ensure that you can, in fact, secure a loan. If you’re looking to get a bank loan, you will first need to make sure that your credit score is excellent. If your credit score is not great, there are ways you can remedy it. First, check your credit history and see if there are any mistakes. If everything seems fine yet your credit score is still bad, work on improving it before you apply for a loan. If you still get denied for a bank loan, you can always look into alternative lenders. Finally, your family members might be able to help you out if all else fails.

Make a down payment

To secure a property you are interested in purchasing you will need to make a down payment. The down payment is the percentage of the property’s price you will need to provide upfront to the seller. The rest will be paid off with your mortgage. However, if you’re not sure you have enough funds for this you can always look for ways you can earn some extra cash. One of the most lucrative ways you can do so is by joining an affiliate program. These will allow you to secure some extra funds that will come in quite handy. But make sure you focus on the right niche that has great earning potential. For instance, since iGaming is gaining in popularity, online casino affiliate programs have become quite a popular choice.

Hire an agent

Hiring a buyer’s agent is not mandatory. But hiring them will make the entire process of finding and actually buying a house so much easier. The fact is that these professionals will help you understand the market and the offers better. They will also help you narrow down the search based on what you’re looking for and your budget. Additionally, they can even help you negotiate the price, as they know what the realistic prices in the market are. For best results, look for someone skilled and highly professional.

Thoroughly inspect the home

Finally, to make sure you’re not purchasing a money pit, you will have to conduct a thorough house inspection. Some states require that this is done prior to making the purchasing offer, while others make it a contract contingency. Either way, you should hire professionals to inspect the property before you actually sign the purchasing documents. Do know that if you uncover any issues the seller won’t be required to fix them. So, it will be up to you to decide if you want to buy a fixer-upper or you’re more interested in a house you can move in right away.

Buying a house is not something you can decide overnight. This type of purchase will require you to plan and prepare for it in advance. So, make sure you educate yourself about the current state of the market and your purchasing abilities. This way you will ensure that you’ve made the best possible decision.

4 Things You Need to Consider Before You Buy Your Family Pet

January 22, 2020 by Mandy

Buying a pet is a big decision, and not one that you want to take lightly. This is especially true when you are looking for a family pet. Buying a pet for your kids can be a life-changing decision for you all, as long as you pick your pet carefully.

Below are 4 things to consider when deciding on your family pet.

The Division of Labour

Lots of children are very eager to have their own pets. Many of us can remember our own childhood and the burning desire that we felt to have an animal companion. However, while children may love the idea of having a pet and playing with it, they are usually a lot less enthusiastic about the actual work involved in looking after the pet.

If this is the first pet that your family will have owned, it is important that your kids understand that having a pet is a responsibility and that pet owners have a solemn duty to take care of their animals.

Obviously, some animals are much higher maintenance than others. If you buy a dog, then you are going to need to work out a schedule for walking it and feeding it every day. However, if you decide to start with something smaller like a goldfish, which doesn’t require so much effort. And then, of course, there are cats, who are more or less capable of looking after themselves¹ – but you still need to make sure you feed and water them.

What you don’t want is to find yourself in a situation where you are now responsible for a pet, but simply don’t have enough hours in the day to actually look after it. Do your homework beforehand and make sure that you choose an animal that you will be able to look after properly.

The Environment They Will Be Living In

Some pets will spend most of their lives confined to an artificial habitat of some sort. For example, if you are thinking of getting a reptile, then you will also need a vivarium tank to keep it in. Similarly, a hamster or gerbil will have a special cage that it will spend most of its time in. For these pets, all you need to do to provide them with a suitable environment is buy the correct equipment.

Other pets, like cats and dogs, will need to roam around. This can complicate things depending on your living situation. If you live in a detached house with plenty of garden space for a pet to run around in, you don’t need to worry so much. However, if you live in a block of flats and don’t have access to a garden, then you will need to consider how you will provide your pet with the exercise that it needs.

Of course, lots of people successfully keep cats and dogs while living in blocks of flats, but if you are going to be in this situation, then you need to have a clear idea of how and where you will exercise your pet.

Your Available Budget

Money is always a key consideration when you are making a big family decision. The budget available to you will determine what kind of pets you can realistically keep in your home.

Remember that the costs of owning a pet go beyond the initial price that you pay for the animal. Naturally, you will also need to provide food for the animal and in some cases, you will also need to provide it with new bedding every now and then, like with a hamster, for example².

These costs can be low, but they are also recurring. Over the course of a pet’s lifetime, these small costs can rapidly accumulate. It is therefore important that you sit down and carefully cost your pet plans.

One thing to consider when you are costing up your pet plans is whether you are going to take the plunge on insurance or not. Pet insurance will cover some or all of your pet’s medical bills should they need veterinary care. If you are thinking of buying a cat or dog, both of which can live for a decade or more³, buying pet insurance could save your family a lot of heartache down the line. You can buy pet insurance for cats and dogs through websites, where you can also find information that will help you weigh up the pros and cons of going with either maximum benefit or lifetime insurance.

It’s a Wonderful Experience

Provided you carefully consider your choice and ensure that you are emotionally and financially prepared for the demands of pet ownership, being a pet owner is a wonderful experience. Your children can learn some of the most valuable lessons of their lives through pet ownership. They will learn about the responsibility that comes with looking after another living creature, as well as learning about the species itself, and, ultimately, how to process the grief that comes with the death of a pet.

Owning a pet isn’t always easy, but it is an eye-opening experience. If you choose the right pet, then before long, it will be another member of the family – you won’t be able to imagine life without them.

Ukuleles: What Drives the Continued Interest of Consumers?

January 20, 2020 by Mandy

The ukulele remains to be one of the most popular instruments in the world today. The little instrument is a hit, particularly in countries where access to the internet – and thus social media – has enabled millions of people to watch ukulele players sing and strum away. Cries of “I want one!” can still be heard from mouths young and old, and ukulele sales continue to grow.

This is the situation long after industry experts have declared that the ukulele craze is over. If the mania for everything ukulele has passed, how come we are still seeing old and new ukulele models being sold left and right? What keeps consumers buying these little instruments? Here’s what we think.

Beginners upgrading to better models

Those learned to play with entry-level ukes may feel the need to buy a new one to complement their improved skills and meet their personal preferences. Many players are also looking for a model that’s a step up in quality.

Whether it’s a uke made of a different combination of tonewoods or a uke with electronics, intermediate players are looking for ukulele models that offer more than what their starter ukes can give. This is one of the primary reasons why ukulele players keep on purchasing other models, and one that will keep ukulele sales up.

Affordable lessons

Ukulele lessons, whether online, via group classes or private lessons at home or in a studio, are very affordable and there are plenty of instructors and music schools offering such. Learning to play ukulele is one of the easiest ways to get into music. The ukulele is also easy to learn, making it a top choice for beginners of all ages. The ease at which you can take lessons adds to the reasons why ukuleles are still selling.

Accessibility and price

Ukuleles are among the most affordable instruments in the world and they can be found in almost every music shop, no matter how small. The wide availability of ukuleles online and in physical stores make it easy for consumers to obtain them.

In addition, ukuleles are priced affordably, with many quality starter kits even costing less than $50. Some of the best concert ukuleles (like these ones) – considered to be the most ideal for beginners, along with soprano ukes – are just with the $100-$200 price tier and offer fantastic value for money. Ukuleles are generally more affordable than other instruments. For the musically inclined, a ukulele is a blessing in times of budget woes.

Inclusion in music classes in schools

There are schools that now include instruction for playing ukulele in their music classes. While ukuleles are available in school music rooms for students to play, it’s not a surprise if students ask to have a ukulele of their own so they can practice and play at home. So here you see two instances of ukulele purchasing: one, by the school; and two, by the students for personal or home use.

Marketability of ukulele music and artists

Many people enjoy listening to popular music featuring the ukulele because of its bright, cheerful and pleasant sound. This is why ukulele artists still enjoy a lot of support from fans and the music industry in general. It would seem like each passing year produces a slew of talented ukulele musicians, who in turn inspire a new generation of music fans to pick up the uke and play.

There are artists such as Grace VanderWaal, who made headlines when she won America’s Got Talent in 2016 and in 2018 became the youngest Signature Artist in the history of Fender. She’s also the first ukulele player to have a collaboration with the brand, designing a soprano and a concert model for beginners and enthusiasts alike. You can bet her fans would be reaching for her ukes, increasing the tally of ukulele sales once again.

Popularity as a travel-friendly instrument

The ukulele is up there with small acoustic guitars as the top instruments for trips. Because of its small size, it is extremely portable, lightweight and easy to take along with you on trips. You can bring it along with you on a plane, on a boat or in your pack when you’re going camping. This characteristic makes ukuleles attractive to people who do a lot of traveling and to musicians who are looking for an instrument they can play on the go.

Those are some of the top reasons why consumers are still drawn to ukuleles and purchase the little instruments every chance they get. Do you agree? Can you think of other factors that contribute to the ukulele’s continued sales? Share them with us!