I agree that gifts of time and experiences are the most important for children, even though they may not be the most appreciated at the time when they are received.
I like to give experience gifts- like a zoo membership or trip to the skating rink. They aren't as fun to open but a candy bar attached is :) and pictures for younger kids that can't read yet.
As a teacher, I see kids lacking imagination. I love to see kid gifts that challenge them to discover. Building kits, arts n crafts, science kits, anything that will get them out in nature, and of course books are some favorites. I also love gift sets that reinforce family... Games, puzzles, or fun pasta and an apron to cook with mom or dad. A book or two with a reading light, fun pillow or blanket, and hot cocoa is great too
As a child I'd say Legos are one of the most universally loved toys my kids have received. They were something that everyone from age 8 to 18 enjoyed playing with whether male or female.
Books, creative toys or hobby materials, and unique items are the best for kids. Giving them your full, undivided, loving attention is always the best, though (for any age really!).
Unique experiences such as trips to the zoo! Contributions to a college fund are wonderful too, with the cost of college increasing & so many easy ways to save such as 529 plans.
Many accounts do not have the 30 day rule. Some accounts will not show up on a credit report unless they are sent to collections for not being paid for several months.
If someone is in a bind there are certain accounts that can be paid late if absolutely necessary. There will probably be a fee involved, but that's better than damaging credit scores.
Here's a few accounts that can be paid late and won't impact credit scores UNLESS the payments are not caught up. These are helpful for those months when funds are really tight:
• Cable Television bill
• Electricity
• Water bill
• Cell Phone
• Medical Bills
• Lawn service/pool service
• 401k loan
• Real estate taxes
• Payday loans
I think a great gift for a kid is a board game. My son and his friends get bored with their video games and always like to play board games like Sorry with my husband and me. I also think arts and craft projects are great gifts that bring out creativity.
The best gifts for kids is to encourage them in whatever they are interested in at the moment. For my son, that meant baking cupcakes all summer in an effort to start his own baking company. My daughter loves to read, so I encouraged her to write a book. There is nothing more exciting than the gift of being a dreamer and with that, the knowledge that you can do anything.
If someone has unused credit card accounts it is a good idea to pull the card out of your wallet and make a small purchase now and then.
Banks don't always like carrying dormant accounts. It costs money to maintain the account, and without some level of usage it is hard for them to assess your behavior, or generate any revenues to offset costs.
One possible consequence is that the bank may close the account. The impact to your score would be as described in the article. This happened to me during the credit crisis: one dormant account was closed, and two others had limits reduced. These actions were taken by the bank, not me.
It depends on the age and interests of the child. I love to give books, whenever possible. I also like classic toys, such as Legos, which provide a chance for open ended play. I like to give toys that provide exercise, and outdoor experiences, such as a scooter or bike or soccer ball.
When I was a kid the best gifts I received were those my parents gave me to encourage my hobbies. I loved to bake, so they often gave me kitchen items. Once I became an adult, I didn't have to spend any money outfitting my own kitchen. Now at 29 my kitchen is still filled with my childhood gifts (my marble rolling pin and pastry board and my favorites)! The only downside was that when I left for college, my mother was surprised that I owned most of our cooking gear.
Another one I hadn't though of was a loan being transferred.
My student loans through the governement were recently transfered over to a company to manage. I received a letter that this was going to happen and when I checked my credit score after the transfer it had gone down because it showed that two accounts were closed and two were opened.
With how often this happens I imagine it's affecting a huge number of people's credit scores and they have no control over it!
I need reliable, always-on and fast internet for work, too! You are right many locations offering free Wifi are typically businesses, but don't rule out the library. Also, I have met people at our local Barnes and Noble several times and used the free Wifi there without feeling like I had to buy something. (Not sure how Barnes and Noble would feel about that!)
Like Kelly, I wasn't even sure dial-up was still offered. I guess if you know where to look?
I think the one danger with free Wifi is that it's usually at businesses. And you don't want to be the person who never buys ANYTHING but freely uses the Wifi. (That's not even including the temptation of food/coffee all around you.) So it's a fine balance. Then again, since "cheap" Internet starts at $30 a month, buying the occasional cookie at Starbucks would still be a much better deal.
Unfortunately, I need my Internet for work. A painful $79.99, since I needed a static IP for my work from home. Ugh. At least it's tax deductible.
The gift of an "experience" - going to the Basketball Hall of Fame, Children's Science Museum, trip to a city. Something that will create a memory. Not just another item they will play with for a day or two and then it collects dust.
I think that educational toys are some of the best (and most fun!) toys for kids. I remember spending hours with volcano kits, dinosaur construction toys, etc. and I loved them!
The best gifts for kids? Time with them, things that encourage an interest they have, and passes to something they can do as a family. In the past, we bought my nieces and nephew passes to the Children's Museum for Christmas and the Zoo and the Botanical Gardens other times. Great family outings, they felt like they could just go for an hour or so instead of getting every last minute out of a single day pass. It was the gift that lasted all year long!
The best gift I have given my three nephews and three nieces was a simple fleece blanket that I made myself. I picked a different pattern for each niece/nephew so they were completely different. My oldest nephew is 11 and he still has his (even though he doesn't tote it around anymore). It keeps them warm and they know their loving aunt made it for them specifically so it's memorable.
passes to a local zoo or aquarium!
I agree that gifts of time and experiences are the most important for children, even though they may not be the most appreciated at the time when they are received.
I like to give experience gifts- like a zoo membership or trip to the skating rink. They aren't as fun to open but a candy bar attached is :) and pictures for younger kids that can't read yet.
a toy (can be new or used), books, or something related to the kid's interest is best.
As a teacher, I see kids lacking imagination. I love to see kid gifts that challenge them to discover. Building kits, arts n crafts, science kits, anything that will get them out in nature, and of course books are some favorites. I also love gift sets that reinforce family... Games, puzzles, or fun pasta and an apron to cook with mom or dad. A book or two with a reading light, fun pillow or blanket, and hot cocoa is great too
As a child I'd say Legos are one of the most universally loved toys my kids have received. They were something that everyone from age 8 to 18 enjoyed playing with whether male or female.
Gift cards or cash
Books, creative toys or hobby materials, and unique items are the best for kids. Giving them your full, undivided, loving attention is always the best, though (for any age really!).
I think the best gifts for kids are experiences. They love to spend time doing things with people they love.
Unique experiences such as trips to the zoo! Contributions to a college fund are wonderful too, with the cost of college increasing & so many easy ways to save such as 529 plans.
Hi Greg,
Many accounts do not have the 30 day rule. Some accounts will not show up on a credit report unless they are sent to collections for not being paid for several months.
If someone is in a bind there are certain accounts that can be paid late if absolutely necessary. There will probably be a fee involved, but that's better than damaging credit scores.
Here's a few accounts that can be paid late and won't impact credit scores UNLESS the payments are not caught up. These are helpful for those months when funds are really tight:
• Cable Television bill
• Electricity
• Water bill
• Cell Phone
• Medical Bills
• Lawn service/pool service
• 401k loan
• Real estate taxes
• Payday loans
Hope this helps!
I think a great gift for a kid is a board game. My son and his friends get bored with their video games and always like to play board games like Sorry with my husband and me. I also think arts and craft projects are great gifts that bring out creativity.
The best gifts for kids is to encourage them in whatever they are interested in at the moment. For my son, that meant baking cupcakes all summer in an effort to start his own baking company. My daughter loves to read, so I encouraged her to write a book. There is nothing more exciting than the gift of being a dreamer and with that, the knowledge that you can do anything.
If someone has unused credit card accounts it is a good idea to pull the card out of your wallet and make a small purchase now and then.
Banks don't always like carrying dormant accounts. It costs money to maintain the account, and without some level of usage it is hard for them to assess your behavior, or generate any revenues to offset costs.
One possible consequence is that the bank may close the account. The impact to your score would be as described in the article. This happened to me during the credit crisis: one dormant account was closed, and two others had limits reduced. These actions were taken by the bank, not me.
It depends on the age and interests of the child. I love to give books, whenever possible. I also like classic toys, such as Legos, which provide a chance for open ended play. I like to give toys that provide exercise, and outdoor experiences, such as a scooter or bike or soccer ball.
When I was a kid the best gifts I received were those my parents gave me to encourage my hobbies. I loved to bake, so they often gave me kitchen items. Once I became an adult, I didn't have to spend any money outfitting my own kitchen. Now at 29 my kitchen is still filled with my childhood gifts (my marble rolling pin and pastry board and my favorites)! The only downside was that when I left for college, my mother was surprised that I owned most of our cooking gear.
Another one I hadn't though of was a loan being transferred.
My student loans through the governement were recently transfered over to a company to manage. I received a letter that this was going to happen and when I checked my credit score after the transfer it had gone down because it showed that two accounts were closed and two were opened.
With how often this happens I imagine it's affecting a huge number of people's credit scores and they have no control over it!
I need reliable, always-on and fast internet for work, too! You are right many locations offering free Wifi are typically businesses, but don't rule out the library. Also, I have met people at our local Barnes and Noble several times and used the free Wifi there without feeling like I had to buy something. (Not sure how Barnes and Noble would feel about that!)
Thanks for the comment!
I thought about including this "wifi sharing" in the article, but discovered in most cases it is illegal. So be careful :)
Books. A love of reading is the best gift you can give to anyone.
Like Kelly, I wasn't even sure dial-up was still offered. I guess if you know where to look?
I think the one danger with free Wifi is that it's usually at businesses. And you don't want to be the person who never buys ANYTHING but freely uses the Wifi. (That's not even including the temptation of food/coffee all around you.) So it's a fine balance. Then again, since "cheap" Internet starts at $30 a month, buying the occasional cookie at Starbucks would still be a much better deal.
Unfortunately, I need my Internet for work. A painful $79.99, since I needed a static IP for my work from home. Ugh. At least it's tax deductible.
The gift of an "experience" - going to the Basketball Hall of Fame, Children's Science Museum, trip to a city. Something that will create a memory. Not just another item they will play with for a day or two and then it collects dust.
I think that educational toys are some of the best (and most fun!) toys for kids. I remember spending hours with volcano kits, dinosaur construction toys, etc. and I loved them!
The best gifts for kids? Time with them, things that encourage an interest they have, and passes to something they can do as a family. In the past, we bought my nieces and nephew passes to the Children's Museum for Christmas and the Zoo and the Botanical Gardens other times. Great family outings, they felt like they could just go for an hour or so instead of getting every last minute out of a single day pass. It was the gift that lasted all year long!
The best gift I have given my three nephews and three nieces was a simple fleece blanket that I made myself. I picked a different pattern for each niece/nephew so they were completely different. My oldest nephew is 11 and he still has his (even though he doesn't tote it around anymore). It keeps them warm and they know their loving aunt made it for them specifically so it's memorable.