How to Plan a Corporate Family Day Event

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With the financial crisis fading, many businesses are still operating under tightened purse strings. Where staff celebrations used to help boost motivation and show appreciation, these have become an expensive luxury which many businesses can no longer afford.

The traditional staff party, with a meal followed by drinks has its pros and cons. For some employees, the hassle of organising childcare can prove expensive, while others enjoy the opportunity to see their colleagues in a non-work setting.

Something different

With more and more working parents in the UK workforce, perhaps it is time to change your approach to staff celebrations. Corporate family days are a relatively new idea in the UK, but originated in America. A corporate family day is an activity day planned with your employees and their families in mind.

Outdoor activities

Often with an outdoor activity theme, corporate family days usually involve the workforce working in small teams to complete a range of tasks. Similar to a team building day in some respects, a family day will challenge your staff in a variety of ways. The family element helps employers demonstrate their appreciation of their staff, not just as employees, but as parents too.

Planning the right sort of day

To plan a day that will be a success and enjoyable for all, you will need to find activities that are suitable for everyone attending. Find out the ages of your employees children, and find out if any have disabilities so you will be able to cater for and include everyone.

A good mix

The next stage is to devise activities that will be suitable for everyone, and that will cater to each of your employees strengths. Ideally you want each employee to have an activity which they can feel that they are good at.

Going to the professionals

You may decide, after thinking about the various risk assessments and health and safety forms you will need to fill in, that going to a professional would be a much simpler option!

There are several companies throughout the UK which offer corporate family day events. Often these will be based at outdoor activity centres, so look for some in your area.

The benefits of letting them run the show

Allowing an external company to take over the planning and organisation of your family day takes the pressure off of the internal teams responsible for organising it. This means that they will be in the same boat as the other employees, and be able to enjoy the event without worrying how it is received.

Also, by handing over to experts you know that they have a wealth of experience that they can call on in planning your event giving it every chance of becoming a great success.

Things to check

Make sure you have passed on all the important information to the family day organisers. These included details of ages, disabilities and dietary needs.

Need To Start Investing In Multi-family Apartments

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Multi-family Apartments are among the most profitable real estate investments to make today as they promise long-term returns. Irrespective of its typewhether it is townhomes, condos, luxury apartments or lakes apartments, Multifamily Investment will never be out in the business. In contrast, apartments function in two ways. First, multi-family housing can provide apartment dwelling for the Investing family.

Second, Multi-family apartments can be income apartments. Luxury apartments such as Lake Apartments, Apartments Park, Garden Apartments and River Apartments are very attractive to people who are seeking peaceful and calming dwelling away from the noise of the city. This holds true to individuals who have career in big cities particularly New York. Investment in Multi-family Apartments offer many advantages.

Foremost, as a real estate investor, Multi-family Investment provides the opportunity to own property at a lower risk with greater leverages as multi-family buildings generate income even when you do not work or out for a vacation with friends or family. It is also easier to manage 12-Unit apartment than managing 10 single home units. Second, Property Management Company assists people who want to invest in multi-family apartments without using their personal cash. In short, it is easier to apply for apartment loans from the banks when it is for multi-family apartments.

Third, there is the option of raising the value of the investors income. The worth of income apartments is based on the rental rate of the multi-family Apartments. The investor may fix his income value by raising the fees while cutting off the expenses. Fourth, Multi-family investment does not give pressure to investors when it comes to competition. The competition is high in single unit home apartments.

Fourth, there is lesser risk in having several multi residential apartments when it comes to revenues. For example, if the multi-family investor loses two or three tenants out of 12, the losses may not that huge compared when the investment is one single house. Fifth, multi-family buildings can be converted into Condo. For added facilities and amenities therefore, attracts more cash flow, condo apartments provide more comfort to potential dwellers.

Admittedly, Investment in Multi-family Apartments is not easy as it sound. The decision involves careful planning and precise consideration of few factors. For instance, since multi-family investment is geared toward income-generating venture, it is important to determine the potential income it shall generate and this has to do with the value and location of the property. Company that provides services such as multi-property management will help the multi-family investors to initiate property and revenue reviews.

Part of the Investment planning is to have financial and marketing analysis. The Financial analysis includes the building maintenance and equipment, title deeds and income tax return of the property especially in the previous three years, insurance policies, litigation history [should there be any], fire systems, utility bills and details on existing liens. The task also involves inspection by the Engineering and Environmental departments respectively.

None of the above task is hard to do because the investors themselves shall need the services of real estate attorney who will do the process for them. The marketing analysis of Multi-family Apartments is to create marketing strategy to maximize the revenues and multi-family investment returns.

How Smoking Affects Your Family

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It is a known fact that smoking is extremely dangerous to your health. Health professionals and government officials have taken various measures in order to educate the public of the different unfavorable effects of smoking to our health. Yet, there are millions of people, who are addicted to their smoking habit. Smoking not only affects the smoker, but also the people around them especially your family. Here are just some ways on how your smoking habit can affect your family.

Increase in Health Risks

One of the ways how smoking affects your family is through their health. While it is true that smokers increase their risk of developing a variety of illnesses and diseases, this increase in health risk is not only confined to them and it extends to the rest of your family members. Studies have shown that second-hand smokers have an even higher risk of developing cancer and other health ailments compared to the smokers themselves. The term second-hand smokers refer to people who are exposed to the smoke emitted by smokers and their cigarettes. The reason why they are at a higher risk is that compared to smokers, the smoke that they inhale is not filtered. And because most of the harmful chemicals and carcinogens are found in the cigarette smoke, prolonged exposure to the smoke is just like making your entire family smoke a cigarette with the filter torn out.

Negative Influence to Your Children

Another way how smoking affects your family is by creating a negative influence to your children. As they grow up, your children look up to you and subconsciously model their behavior to mimic their parents. In fact, studies have shown that children that have taken up a smoking habit during their teenage years are those coming from families where one or both of the parents smoke as well. Even though government officials and school administrators do aggressive efforts to discourage teenagers from starting a smoking habit, seeing their parents smoke can be a whole lot more influential and a factor for them to actually become smokers themselves.

Depletion of the Family Income

With the nations across the world still feeling the effects of the financial crisis that struck them, many families are still coping in stretching the family budget. Smokers unknowingly spend hundreds of dollars each month in order to satisfy their habit by purchasing cigarettes, lowering the household income which is used to purchase basic commodities, pay your children’s tuition fees and your mortgage payments. This depletion of the family income can oftentimes result in tension between you and your spouse regarding financial matters, which can eventually lead to constant arguments, the latter having a psychological effect on your children in the long run.

As you can see, the effects of smoking can be far reaching. Being a parent, you would want to make sure that you are able to keep your family safe, protected and their needs supported. Quitting your smoking habit would not only benefit your health. It would also ensure that your family would remain happy, harmonious and healthy.

Keeping The House Rules When Adult Children Return To The Blended Family

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Even adult children returning home to a blended family benefit from some rules and boundaries. Adult stepchildren graduating from college today face a tough job market in which to succeed. College kids are returning home, for a place to stay until they can launch their careers. Even tougher, are the kids who return to a blended family, one with a new step parent and step siblings.

Boundaries and rules established and agreed upon, before adult stepchildren return to the nest, are essential for the successful blended family. Adult stepchildren can function well living at home with stepparents when presented with clear expectations.

Focus on the positive in your blended family
Focus on the positive when adult children ask to return home. Adult children, in most cases, don’t want to ask biological parents if they can move in with a stepfamily, and you might consider it a compliment to your successful remarriage when they do. Clearly, your adult child feels comfortable living with the stepparent, and that is flattering. Stepmom or stepdad needs to acknowledge the compliment, and make sure to let the adult stepchild know you are eager to spend more time with him.

As well, after the biological parent and stepparent agree upon a set of rules and boundaries, biological parents should lead a discussion about them with the adult stepchild in advance of the move-in date. Adult stepchildren are often willing to comply with rules when they know biological parents and stepparents are happy to have them around.

Rules and boundaries should be reasonable and consistent
Adult stepchildren are, technically, adults, and should be treated as such. However, the adult stepchild who has returned home and is dependent upon the biological parent and stepmom or stepdad, should obey and respect parental authority. Rules and boundaries agreed upon in advance could include guidelines for
o dining and laundry
o a discussion of career plans
o an agreement to actively search and find a job by within a set period
o housekeeping chores
o an agreement to pay rent after six months
o an agreement to a raise in rent after 12 months
o guidelines for guests
o an expectation of quiet after a designated time or else a curfew will be established
o and an expectation that adults will be treated with respect.

Other discussion topics could include the use of an auto as well as guidelines for gas, insurance, and upkeep; smoking, drinking and girlfriend or boyfriend visits; as well as private time for parent and stepparent. Adult stepchildren who bend or even break established rules should be held accountable with another scheduled family meeting.

Road to independence should be paved with love and encouragement for your adult child
Adult stepchildren moving home is not unusual in light of the job market, and he or she should not be made to feel as if they have failed at adulthood. This won’t help a stepchild and it certainly won’t bode well for the blended family. Once rules and boundaries have been agreed upon in a stepfamily, welcome and encourage your adult stepchild into the remarriage. Make sure he spends individual time with his biological parent and offer positive support in his job search.

Stepchildren, especially adult stepchildren, need their own space, and should be afforded privacy and respect of their belongings by other stepkids. Adult stepchildren who return to the home may need extra help on the road to independence; stepmoms and stepdads who are part of that journey pave the way to a smooth stepfamily existence.

Adult stepchildren who return home are an unfortunate result of the economic downturn, but it doesn’t have to be a miserable experience. Biological and stepparents have to discuss and agree upon rules, before the adult stepchild moves in. An adult stepchild is usually amenable to parental guidelines when the discussion is led by the biological parent and assisted by the stepparent.

Adult children who return home to a blended family can find success and independence within a remarriage when expectations are clear and rules are well planned.

Investing in Distressed Metro Phoenix Real Estate – Solitary Family members Houses Is The Way To Go

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There has been a recent shift in my contemplating a number of months in the past on what kind of authentic estate traders really should now be acquiring in Phoenix Arizona. Up right up until Jan/Feb, I was a strong advocate for condos, town houses and other more compact connected households due to the fact of the price-to-rent ratio. We were choosing city homes priced close to $35,000 in beneficial condition that rent for amongst $650-$700 for each month and produced 15-twenty% dollars-on-cash returns. Then some of my consumers led me all around town wanting for inexpensive solitary friends and family properties and I was shocked at what I uncovered.

I found single loved ones houses that have been priced at in between $55,000 and $seventy five,000 and had been renting for $850-$1,000 for each month!th!

You will need to be thinking, ‘well…people need to be older households in terrible neighborhoods’. No! Not at all! These are residences in more recent subdivisions that have been built amongst 2002 and 2006. A few and 4 bed room houses of 1,300-1,800 sq.ft. in respectable, blue-collar regions with two-car garages and good, more recent-style floor options!

When you search at the value of these houses relative to the lease they generate, they deliver practically as great constructive dollars flow as the condos and town households partly due to the fact the HOA dues are usually significantly significantly less on solitary loved ones households than on connected housing – $one hundred-$150 for each month much less. That reduced expense coupled with the larger rent is creating the single relatives houses additional beautiful. And there are other motives why I like solitary relatives residences more than condos and city households…

(one) At the current time, vacancy prices on single friends and family residences is reduce – in the three-four% range. Why so small? Consider of it this way. There are virtually 10s of 1000’s of households and folks losing their houses in the Phoenix Metroplex by way of foreclosure and small sale. In which are these folks heading to dwell? They are not able to qualify for a home loan to obtain yet another dwelling for the reason that their credit score is destroyed and do you feel another person residing for a long time in a household needs to shift into an apartment? Of training course not! That is why there is this kind of a present desire for rental housing perfect now and this trend must continue for at minimum 2 far more ages

(two) Rental charges are greater and raising speedier in single relatives homes. For similar reason as as what I stated above, there is these a need for homes as rentals, the supply can’t hold up – even with all the Canadians purchasing residences as an investment! As a result, returns are incredibly solid and will most likely boost at a quicker speed than apartments and connected housing.

(three) Liquidity is superior with solitary household properties than with other kinds of investment real estate. While genuine estate has very long been regarded to be a incredibly illiquid kind of investment compared to other forms of investments, inside the realm of serious estate, solitary relatives homes is the most liquid style of solution.

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