SUN PROTECTION 101

Follow these tips to soak up the sun without letting the harsh UV radiation damage your skin:

• Avoid direct exposure to sunlight between 10 AM and 4 PM when UV rays are most hazardous. Stay indoors or remain shaded under a tree, umbrella or other shelter.
   
• Apply sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher. Be sure the sunscreen is broad spectrum, providing protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
   
• Reapply every two hours, especially after swimming or sweating.
   
• When possible, wear clothing that covers your arms and legs, and a hat with a wide brim.
   
• Don’t forget about your eyes – wear sunglasses, preferably the wraparound variety, to keep your eyes and the sensitive skin around them safe from UV rays. Check for labels that say the lenses meet ANSI UV requirements or provide UV absorption up to 400 nanometers.
   
• Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps, which expose the skin to harsh UV rays and contribute to long-term skin damage.
   
• Take steps to protect your skin from the sun year-round in all weather types. UV rays are still harmful on cloudy and overcast days.

KEEP KIDS BUSY AND HAPPY THIS SUMMER!

Here are some ideas for keeping your kids happily occupied throughout the summer — giving you time to get things done.
 
Stock up on indoor activities. Keep board games, puzzles and a deck of playing cards on hand for when your kids need a break from the sun.
 
Go on backyard adventures. Plan a picnic or let your kids camp overnight in your own backyard.
 
Start a lemonade stand. Teach your kids a simple lemonade recipe and watch them become instant entrepreneurs. Bonus: They can practice their math skills counting change!
 
Invest in storytelling tech. Collect audiobooks your kids love and play them when you need some quiet time to yourself.
 
Create a chore chart. Make housekeeping a game! Assign simple chores to your kids and offer a small prize, like getting to choose what’s for dessert. Your kids will help you out and have fun in the process.
 
Decorate your sidewalks. Give your kids a bucket of sidewalk chalk and watch your yard transform into an art studio. Teach them to draw hopscotch frames for creative exercise.
 
Send your kids on a scavenger hunt. Give your kids a list of small items to collect from neighbors or friends. The first one to collect everything on the list wins!

RELAX - IT'S SUMMER

STAY COOL AND SAVE MONEY

Here are some ways to keep your home cool during summer without using expensive air conditioning:

1. Close and cover your windows. Use drapes, blinds or curtains to block sunlight. Keep your windows sealed during the day to keep in cool air.

2. Adjust fans to turn counter-clockwise. This movement sucks hot air up and cools your skin. Fans don’t create cool air, though, so turn them off when you leave the room.

3. Disconnect any idle technology. Appliances and electronics produce heat, even if you aren’t using them. Unplug them and turn them off.

4. Switch your lightbulbs to energy-efficient ones. Incandescent lightbulbs produce more heat than light. Switch to LED or CFL bulbs instead, and turn off lights when you aren’t in the room.

5. Start cooking outside. Much everyday heat comes from cooking. Avoid using your oven and stove by grilling outside. Eat more raw or cold dishes, like sushi or salad.

6. Prime your bed for cool evenings. Switch to 100% cotton bedding and sprinkle baby powder over your sheets to reduce sweating. Remove bed risers or set up a sleeping mat on the floor to avoid rising heat through the night.

7. Make permanent changes to keep your home summer-ready. Plant trees in your yard to block sunlight. Install awnings over windows. Ensure your attic is properly insulated and have any air leaks sealed. These changes will stop heat before it hits your home.

BUY A HOME FOR 50% OFF?

Would you like to buy a home for 50% off the listing price?

Believe it or not, you might be eligible to do just that. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has a program called “Good Neighbor Next Door,” designed to help put hardworking people in homes for a significant discount. From the HUD website:

“Law enforcement officers, pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians can contribute to community revitalization while becoming homeowners through HUD's Good Neighbor Next Door Sales Program. HUD offers a substantial incentive in the form of a discount of 50% from the list price of the home. In return you must commit to live in the property for 36 months as your sole residence.”

(Source: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/reo/goodn)

The program requires you to buy an eligible single family home in designated revitalization areas, and you may search for listings online using the HUD portal here:
http://www.hudhomestore.com/Home/Index.aspx

One of the real benefits to this program is the significant upside should you decide to sell the home after your three year occupancy. When you sell, you are entitled to keep the entire profit from the home, even though you purchase it for half of its listing price. You don’t even have to be a first-time buyer to participate in the program.
Details about financing, occupancy commitments, revitalization zones and more can be found on the FAQ page concerning the Good Neighbor Next Door program:
https://www.hud.gov/program_off…/housing/…/reo/goodn/gnndfaq

Oh, and there’s also one more catch… you must work with a real estate agent or broker in order to buy the home. That’s where your local REALTOR® comes in! They’d be happy to work with you in your search to buy a HUD home.