While there are affordable alternatives to traditional financial advisors, such as robo-advisors and online financial planning services, independent financial advisors can be valuable for managing investments. They can help you set and reach money goals and even help with estate planning. More importantly, a study by investing platform Envestnet PMC estimates that an advisor can add 3 percent value on investments each year. However, finding a financial advisor you trust is crucial for reaping the benefits, and the process requires research and thorough vetting....

Editor’s Tip: If you need to make some compartments longer for necklaces, take out a few slats with a hammer. Get the pink ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ label Get the blue ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ label Get the ‘I Drink Wine’ label Get the ‘Best Mom Ever’ label Editor’s Tip: If you can’t find white vases, you can make your own by pouring white paint into clear vases—just make sure mom doesn’t fill them with water later!...

When it comes to eating to support the immune system, Ditkoff reminds us that variety is key. “Eating a balanced and varied diet full of fruits and vegetables is more important than eating any one food,” she says. With that in mind, here are five foods to include in your rotation to help keep you on track for a healthy and delicious fall. “Consuming beta-carotene can help reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, may offer protection against asthma and heart disease, and may decrease the risk of macular degeneration....

Unfortunately, coming up with a functional kitchen layout usually involves a long list of options and materials to research, from countertops to flooring and everything in between. To pare down the decisions and eliminate the guesswork, consider a house plan that already has an envy-inducing kitchen included. Find the one that matches your style—whether that’s a modern farmhouse or a seaside getaway—then let your contractor handle the rest. We’re sharing our favorite Southern Living kitchen designs to help get those creative juices flowing....

Seriously, when the hardest part is preheating the oven, you know you’re in good shape. Get the Recipe: Sheet Tray Pizzas Get the Recipe: One-Pan Salmon With Roasted Cabbage and Olive Vinaigrette Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes Get the Recipe: Smoky Sheet Pan Clam Bake Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs With Fennel and Shallots Related Video

Try the following tool storage ideas so you can confidently tackle DIY projects with all of your equipment at your fingertips. 1. Set Up Slatwall or Pegboard Because garages tend to be short on floor space, installing shelves is a smart option that also works well for small spaces. Track shelving, drawers, and tall cabinets make the most out of vertical space. However, there’s another type of garage storage system to consider, especially if you like your tools in plain sight....

“Exercise in general is probably the best thing you can do for your brain,” says Matthew Stults-Kolehmainen, Ph.D., FACSM, exercise physiologist and exercise researcher Yale New Haven Hospital. “In fact, some researchers think the initial function of the brain was to help people to move.” The positive links between physical exercise and brain health—mental health and mood management, memory and executive functioning, and degenerative brain disease prevention—is a significant topic of research and discussion....

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Dress Up Supermarket Flowers Plant African violets in a wide, shallow ceramic pot. Cover with sheet moss (sold at most nurseries) to add a cozy feel and to help hold in moisture. Care: Direct morning light. Protect from the bright afternoon sun. To water, lift the moss so you can soak the soil. Keep the soil moist all the time; try not to get the leaves wet. Stage a Still Life With Succulents Like intricate little sculptures, mini cacti and succulents make an intriguing assemblage....

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1. Choose the Right Kind of Hydrangea Only the flowers of bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) can change color. Other types such as oakleaf hydrangeas or smooth hydrangeas such as ‘Annabelle’ only bloom in white or cream. These plants are just as full and beautiful, but if your goal is blue hydrangeas, make sure you’re planting varieties that can turn the shade you want. 2. Choose Blue Varieties Look for hydrangeas that are bred to be blue such as ‘Nikko Blue’, Endless Summer The Original, ‘Penny Mac’, ‘Blauer Prinz’, or Endless Summer Twist-n-Shout....

A store-bought evergreen wreath or a real pine wreath of any size work great for these ideas. If you’re just looking for inspiration, take a look at our projects below, then click on the how-tos for further instructions for each DIY Christmas wreath. These easy guides will help you to create a custom wreath with step-by-step instructions. But first, pump up the holiday tunes, pour yourself some hot cocoa, and get in the holiday crafting spirit!...

1. Invest in a Key Lockbox If you’re renovating your home before moving into it and live far away, consider investing in a key lockbox. You’ll need to hire a contractor if there are significant projects on your checklist that you can’t do yourself. Remember that contractors start early, so unless you want to drive in morning rush-hour traffic to let workers inside, plan to attach a lockbox or install smart door hardware that allows you to provide entry to guests with a code....

But gifting money has a lot of questions around it. How much money can you gift to your family? How do you gift money to a child? Is just adding money to a Visa gift card a great gift? And how do you ask for money as a gift? According to Swann, the amount of money you gift depends on your budget, your relationship with the giftee, and the type of occasion....

We talked to a few folks who have actually managed to quit their jobs and live off their savings while doing whatever they love most—all before the age of 45. Some travel and others work on passion projects, but all of them have interesting and informed perspectives on saving and spending wisely according to your own retirement goals. First steps Ali and Alison Walker, the married couple who write the blog All Options Considered, didn’t settle on a particular savings rate until they really got clear on what they wanted to be able to do (and afford) in their early retirement....

Read on for everything you need to know about this first-of-its-kind sale. Is the Early Access Sale Only for Prime Members? No. Many of the Prime Early Access Sale deals will be available for non-Prime members. However, several deals may be exclusive to Prime members or they’ll be available at a steeper discount, along with free, two-day shipping. If you’re not a Prime member, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of the biggest savings....

More than just a mop, the PurSteam Steam Mop Cleaner is a 10-in-1 cleaning device decked out with accessories that can transform the steam mop into a truly all-purpose cleaner. The tool works on all common types of flooring like tile, hardwood, and vinyl, as well as carpet. And the detachable handheld unit allows you to steam clean more than just floors, so you can get to furniture, counters, and beyond....

For a finishing touch that plays up the dessert’s similarity to apple crisp, we decided to top it off with an extra layer of streusel. And not just any streusel—big, buttery, crunchy crumbs. The result: an apple streusel dump cake to enjoy. Related Video

She’s written extensively about pregnancy, parenting week-by-week, postpartum wellness, early childhood development, family travel abroad, family-centered financial planning, emerging tech trends, and clean living. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living, Verywell Mind, VErywell Family, Verywell, Fit, Verywell Health, Time, Parents, Parents Magazine, The Straits Times, The Huffington Post, TripSavvy, Parenting, First Time Mom and Dad, Mama Mia, All4Women, the New York Times Bestseller, A Letter To My Mom, and more....

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