I have 3 kids and it is very important to us that they get a good education. My oldest son is in first grade and we home school him. I am amazed at how much he knows. Most days I feel like we should have skipped the first grade curriculum and started with second grade.

I came across this article about how to get better grades and I thought I would share some of the points with you.

The writer suggest a zero TV policy. This has helped his family improve their grades and have better communication skills.

He also suggest that you limit the time they spend on video games. I couldn’t agree more. When my kids start playing video games they time flies by. I think it is important that they do other things besides playing video games. My kids are still young so they like to play sports games and anything Super Mario Bros. I think setting a timer when they are playing video games would help my kids to know there are other things to do in a day.

How often is your child using a pen and paper? With the advancement of technology our kids spend lots of time on a computer or a tablet. He suggests a weekly writing assignment about a favorite book, a current event, or a video game. Anything to get them to practice their handwriting.

He has a few other suggestions and advice that you may find interesting. You can click here to read the full article.

Have you ever considered checking your credit report? You can get a free credit score from FreeScore. com. You will get 24/7 credit alerts, scores, and monitoring from all 3 major bureaus. FreeScore.com will also give you educational information and tips on how to protect your credit and identity.

You will get your credit scores from TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. By monitoring your credit information, you can protect yourself form identity theft and fraud. With your free trial you will have unlimited access to your credit score, you will get email alerts of credit activity in your name, identity theft restoration service, and more.

Credit Score Vs Credit Report

• Credit Score is a three-digit “scores” that shows how responsible you are about paying your debts (i.e. credit cards, mortgages, car loans, and other lines of credit).
• Credit Report is the information the bureaus use to calculate your credit score. They tell about your on-time and late payments.

You want your credit score to be 750 or above. This will help you get lower interest rates,  approval for loans, and lines of credit.

It is a good idea to check your credit report at least one time year. You want to make sure there are no errors on your credit report because this will hurt your credit score. You want to make sure there are no open credit lines that you did not open. Or there could be an outstanding balance on a loan that you did not know about.

I love the convenience of my debit card and easily buying things on the internet. For me, it helps me keep track of my expenses when I don’t use cash. But with this convenience comes the reality that my identity can easily be stolen. I am sure we all know of someone who has had something “electronically” stolen from them. Once my bank called me to see if I had made a large purchase. I did not and it turned out someone had used my debit card online.

That is just a small example of how you can be “electronically robbed”. What would happen if someone stole your identity? That could be a much larger mess and it would be a lot more difficult to fix. Identity theft protection is something we need to thing about in this digital age.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics in 2008 an unauthorized use or attempted use of an existing credit card account, the most prevalent type of identity theft, was experienced by about 6.2 million victims. IdentityHawk can help protect you from identity theft. If you are looking for identity theft protection you should check out what IdentityHawk has to offer. Right now they are offering a 30 day free trial. They are so sure they can protect you from identity theft that they offer $1,000,000, zero-liability identity theft insurance.  You will pay no deductible, and you’ll be protected against the costs of identity restoration, legal defense fees, and lost wages. That’s a pretty great guarantee!

Have you ever thought about making a photo book for a loved one for Valentines Day. It would be such a sweet gift for a grandparent.  Think of how excited your girlfriend would be if you made her a photo book! You can Get a Free Hardcover Photo Book from Mypublisher! You will have to pay about $8 for shipping but this is still one of my favorite deals!

I have made one of these books and they really are very nice. Click here to get started!

Take some time this weekend and get some photos together so you can  start your photo book now!

Or you can just make a FREE 8X10 photo on canvas! These also make beautiful gifts!

Another great photo deal – Canvas People 16×20 $37 Shipped

Guest post written by Rolf Tate

We love to watch television as a family but it’s hard to get everyone together at the same time to watch shows we can all agree on. With www.directstartv.com I can look ahead at the listings to see what’s on and when then plan ahead for a special tv night. Knowing ahead of time lets me clear everyone’s schedule including my own. We can make sure we are done with dinner and have the kitchen cleaned up so there are no interruptions when we sit down to watch. I even make our snacks ahead of time so I don’t miss any of the action on the tv running back and forth to the kitchen. It’s a simple thing to do but it means we get to take some time out of our crazy schedules and spend quality time together as a family—something we could all use more of! Sometimes it’s a movie and sometimes it’s a block of several episodes of one of our favorite shows. Either way, I try to pick something everyone will enjoy so they will want to do it again!

Receive 50% off from America’s 4th largest online florist retailer! Send your loved one the perfect flower arrangement this Valentine’s Day.

You have booked your tickets, paid your luggage fees and now you have to think about paying for parking at the airport. Parking at the airport can add a lot of money to the total to your trip. Have you every had to park your car at the airport? If so, you know how expensive it can be.

Many airport have a lot of different options. You can park in the terminal, which can cost a small fortune. Then there are off-airport locations that can be a lot more affordable. One airport that has a lot of options when it comes to parking your car at the airport is in Los Angeles, California. They have over 28 airport parking options.

As I was researching lax airport parking I found some really great rates. If you are traveling out of Los Angeles you can park your car for as little as $6.10 per day! These parking locations provide affordable prices, comfortability, convenience, and security for you and your vehicle.

You can chose from indoor parking, outdoor parking, self parking, and valet parking. You reserve your spot online and pay a small deposit. When you arrive at the lot you pay your balance.

With a little research and advanced planning it is possible to find a good deal – even on airport parking!

Pro-Flowers has beautiful fresh-from-the-field flowers from just $19.99. Plus you’ll receive a Free Vase with your order. Click here to see what you can order for Valentine’s Day!

Did you know if you have served or are currently serving in the US military you are entitled to many benefits! My friend’s dad was searching around and found some discounts for her dad. Just make sure youcheck with your local store to see if they also give military discounts.

• Kohls – 15%
• Autozone  - 5-10 off at some locations
• Dicks Sporting Goods –  discount varies
• Finish Line – Varies
• Oakley – 50% military standard glasses
• Texas Roadhouse – 10%
• Applebees – 10%
• Chick-fil-a 10%
• Home Depot Military Discount for active & retired – 10% off
• Lowe’s Military Discount for active & retired – 10% off
• Regal Movies $6.50/ticket
• Best Western
• Aeropostale – 10% off
• Busch Gardens/Sea World - Any active duty, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman is entitled to free admission including 3 dependents.
• Walt Disney World - $138 4-Day Park Hopper Tickets for Members of the U.S. Military & up to 40% off hotels.
• Disneyland – -Day Park Hopper tickets for just $99 each, through September 28, 2012
• Universal Studios Florida

These are just a few of the discounts. Make sure you check out The Frugal Girls for a LONG list of military discounts.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.