Fire Safety Tips

Here are some quick facts to consider for your safety!  

According to the National Fire Protection Association, the leading cause of house fires in the Uniter States is unattended cooking. During the holiday season, when cooking for guests, it is important to not be distracted, and remember to keep an eye on anything on the stove.

Another leading cause of home fire deaths, is smoking. Encourage those who smoke to do so outside and keep a small bucket of water outside to drop cigarette butts directly into. If yourself or your guests smoke inside, make sure to have many large, sturdy, and deep ashtrays and check them frequently. It is also important to douse cigarette butts with water before throwing them in the trash.  Failure to do this could cause them to smolder and cause a fire.  When the party has died down, check on, between, and under upholstery and cushions and inside trash cans for potentially smoldering cigarette butts.  Matches and lighters should be kept up high, and out of the reach of children! Also encourage your guests to keep their smoking materials with them, so to not be accidentally picked up by kids.

Lastly, make sure not to leave any candles unattended, or in a place where kids could reach it.  This too is a common cause of house fires. And it is always wise to let guests know your fire escape plan.

Stay safe!

Mavi Wants to know… What are your  New Year’s Eve plans ?

Holiday Shopping!

Is there anyone out there who, like me,  has  yet to do their holiday shopping?? Between finding the time, and finding the cash, I have gotten a bit behind!

A great story from AOL.com explains to us the “7 Deadly Sins of Holiday Shopping”. Keep some of these in mind when doing your shopping! I know I will : )

 

1. Wrath. This article tells us to not  shop angry. Don’t shop with a chip on your shoulder for 2 reasons:  ” a.) defying the spirit of the season and b.) making yourself susceptible to bad choices. “  AOL says that anger is now considered  to be a potential mental illness by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Just have fun and be a happy, cheerful holiday shopper!

2. Greed. Finding the best deals doesn’t mean buy it all! Just because that sweater is on sale for $5 bucks doesn’t mean you should buy them all! The article says that there is a limit to just how much shopping one person can do! By scouring the malls for each and everything on the family’s wish list, and buying every gift, what is left to wish for?

3. Sloth. Being lazy never helped anyone! Last minute shopping can only leave you feeling disappointed and out of cash! Shopping last minute causes you to miss out  on the opportunity to get the best deals. Take away message: Get going!

4. Pride. Who is too proud to save some green? Not me! Take some time to educate your self before heading out into the madness. By researching online beforehand, you are much more likely to know where the good deals are, and get those gifts without making such a dent in your pocket-book.

5. Lust. They say sex sells, right? Lets hope this holiday season you don’t let your temptations and desires take over your sensibility! Lots of companies use attractive women and men to sell their products. Their hope is that you will see that beautiful woman, and think that by purchasing that vacuum, you can be just like her. Or that if you drive a certain car, you can be successful like the man in the ad. Be realistic people! Cars do not equal success. So shop wisely, be smart consumers. Your wallets will thank you! : )

6. Envy. In the words of German philosopher Immanuel Kant [envy] “disciplines us to see our own good overshadowed by the good of others”. Simply put, he meant “Be happy with what you have, stop wanting and buying what others have. It’s bad for your wallet. It’s bad for your soul”.  According to article author Ron Dicker, the average credit card debt has risen to $15, 788. And one can assume that this average will also rise during the holidays.  Just remember, the grass will always be greener on the other side….

7. Gluttony. I can’t find one person (myself included!) who doesn’t feel like they have already put on some holiday pounds! Try not to indulge — If you can’t say no to a 4,730 calorie Cinnbon, how can you be sure you can control your holiday spending?

Any one have any other holiday tips to share? Let Mavi know!