What To Do On The Fourth Of July

The Lawhead Team Blogger — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 20:52:32 +0000

Fourth of July fun filled activities for the family.

Before we list out some Fourth of July suggestions, we would like to share this very interesting and fun fact about our founding fathers:

Did you know…… that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both of whom signed the Declaration of Independence and went on to serve as Presidents of the U.S., died on July 4th, 1826? Another Founding Father, President James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, becoming the third President in a row to die on July 4th.

Fourth of July is a fun time to get together with family and friends, enjoy the summer sun and have some fun. If you are looking for something to do this 4th of July, consider these family activities.

Watch a parade – Most communities have some sort of parade, 5K walk/run or special event happening for Fourth of July. Check your city’s event calendar to find out what’s going on in your area. Many of these events require sign up in advance, so plan ahead. If there isn’t a parade in your community, you can put together a mini parade in your own neighborhood. Dress up the kids in red, white and blue attire and give them flags to carry as they march around block singing “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Head to the park – Spend the day at the park, beach or lake with your kids on Fourth of July. Even though the fireworks don’t happen until after dusk, there’s plenty to do during the day. Pack a picnic, bring a Frisbee and just enjoy some time outdoors with your family.

Brush up on your history – Teach your kids more about Independence Day. Considered America’s birthday, Independence Day is the anniversary of the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress — July 4, 1776. Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776. In 1941, Congress declared the Fourth of July a legal public holiday.

Create 4th of July crafts – Get crafty on 4th of July. Sit down with your kids and make American flag tissue paper wreaths, a DIY 4th of July banner and other creative and patriotic 4th of July crafts. Making crafts together is great for family bonding.

Host a potluck barbecue – Host a backyard barbecue for family, friends and neighbors. You don’t need to do all the cooking yourself. Make it a potluck. You can supply the meat and your guests can pitch in with side dishes, desserts and drinks.

If you don’t feel like cooking or hosting a party yourself, head to your local amusement park. Many amusement parks, baseball stadiums and other major tourist attractions hold fireworks shows, festivals and other events for Fourth of July. Kids will love it — and you won’t have to do any work.

Holiday Budget Tips

The Lawhead Team Blogger — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:08:42 +0000

Stick to your Holiday Budget this season.

Though there are only a few days left until Christmas, The Lawhead Team would like to share some helpful tips to sticking to your holiday budget during the Christmas Season.

This time of year is by far one of the most expensive and stressful seasons. Between shopping for gifts, traveling to see relatives and buying everything you need to host a meal, it’s easy to let your shopping list run wild. But rather than panicking, set a realistic holiday budget now, so you know exactly how much you have to spend.

Once you have a ballpark figure to work with, allocate where you want your money to go. Instead of coming up with a list of people to buy for, come up with a budget on how much you can afford. And don’t forget to add in the extras such as postage for Christmas cards, holiday party favors, travel costs and more.

Now that you’ve created a realistic holiday budget, it’s time to start shopping. And the best way to have a stress free holiday is pre-plan your purchases. Start by creating an all-inclusive shopping list, from gifts, to decorations to food ahead of time.

If you plan your purchases in advance, you’ll be less likely to overspend and become stressed. You’ll be giving yourself and your schedule, plenty of time to handle any last minute gifts or problems that come up.

Make a list of all the people you want to buy for. Go through that list and decide how much you can spend on each person. If you don’t have enough money to cover your holiday budget, go through the list again and cut out names or amounts. If you have a big family, have one person buy for another, avoiding having to buy for everyone in your family.

If you can, pay cash for your gifts. Set a limit of how much you’ll spend, take out the money from your bank and when the money is gone, don’t buy anymore presents. If you have to use your credit card, think of it as a short term loan. Ideally, you’ll want to pay off everything immediately. Make sure you always use the card that offers the lowest interest rate. Track your credit card spending during the holidays just as you would if you were writing a check. Last thing you want to do is get your credit card bill in January and keel over from seeing the amount owed!

Without a doubt, one of the best ways to stay in your holiday budget during the season is to remember what the season is really about. Most of us stress ourselves (and our wallets) to the breaking point during this time of year. But there are ways to have a memorable holiday and make your Christmas special without getting caught up in the consumerism trap of overspending.