We are testing out some travel tips. We’ll be back very soon, so we can share them!

Are you using benefits that you already have to save? Here are 3 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY that I discovered I already had, but wasn’t using to the max! I love a good road trip and some experiences are worth the price of admission, just because they are that awesome, but why pay more if you already have a way to save? With the cost of gas, lodging and food here in the US, saving more money is a welcomed relief.

Stef shares ResortTV1 Recommended Top 5 Places To Go To Beat The Heat and live like a local. The best part of living in Central Florida is you can save outdoor activities for the cooler weather and less crowded months and find ways to hibernate in cool places. I’m always looking for ways to encourage active learning play and to keep from climbing the walls at home.

Once you have picked out your shelter in place space and prepared it for the storm, the waiting begins. With the larger storms we often end up with more days together at home. Keeping busy and using this as constructive family time is helpful for us. Stef shares 3 Tips for finding calm in the storm together and also our ResortTV1Homes Top 5 Hot Picks for Hurricane Activities for Children.

There are a few things to do to prepare before the storms arrive. The more our family experiences these storms, the more we understand the value of not waiting until the last minute to prepare. Stef shares 3 Tips for PREPARING YOUR FAMILY FOR STORM SEASON.

Growing up in the midwest, we were no strangers to the dangers of fast moving storms: hail, lightning, and possible tornadoes. When we bought our first house in 2009, we had yet to experience a significant cyclonic storm, so we weren’t sure what to specifically look for in a house or how preparation is different. In our first of three steps on hurricane preparedness, Stef discusses 3 TIPS FOR FINDING YOUR STORM SHELTER IN PLACE SPACE IN YOUR NEXT NEW HOME IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. Follow along here: https://resorttv1homes.com/blog/2024/hurricane-prep-find-your-shelter-in-place-space

At some point all children say, “I’m done with floaties.” How do you really know when little swimmers should be done with life jackets? There is always room for improvement with swimming skills, learn our HARD AND FAST RULE for needing a life jacket, our 11 family rules about pool safety and our boundary that is a hard-pass-walk-away-no-no.

There is way more to information about life jackets than I thought and I want to share it. Every age, size, weight, level of swimmer and activity has a recommended life jacket or PFD (personal flotation device). There are so many styles and levels to water safety, but where to start? Start here! Here’s why: "The majority of drownings occur in calm, inland waters. Most of those who drowned were within a few feet of safety and had easy access to a life jacket but were not wearing one.”

Florida is the third (#3) highest state with the most water. Every year there are enough children under age 4 that are lost to unintentional drowning in Florida to fill 3-4 preschool classrooms. Learn more about what FLORIDA is doing to help families and how you can help your children. Water Safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Extreme temperatures and sun exposure can offer challenges to things that Florida’s newcomers may not be aware. Florida is #2 in the US for highest number of melanoma cases - the deadliest of skin cancers. We offer 5 Tips to Protect Skin in the Sunshine State.

Most people don’t take a look a financial wealth as an asset that need protection. Even if you are living dollar to dollar, what happens when you can’t work or you are no longer here? Financial gaps can leave the whole family very vulnerable in the case of catastrophe. See this article for Stef’s thoughts on the top 3 most underrated overlooked risks, then talk to your insurance agent and financial advisers to see what makes sense for your family.

As a mom and small business owner, I’ve spent a lot of time consulting with professionals on how to protect my family and our business interests in case of any kind of emergency. Making sure that beneficiaries have access to all the items they need to file the estate with the courts is critical to a timely and smooth transition. This list is simply to get your started; every household is different. Make sure that you talk to your attorney, accountant, banker, investment advisor and insurance agent to see what they recommend.

Death and Taxes guaranteed? Every year in the US, taxes are due on April 15th, making April 16th a perfect day to review plans for the … other. No one likes to have hard conversations about what may be needed if you can no longer make decisions for yourself or in the event of death. Reviewing these questions and knowing with certainty that you have the answers that are right for you can be a great relief. I was hoping to offer a personal perspective of WHY NOW? I wasn’t able to put my thoughts together as completely as I wanted earlier in the week… AND THEN … the universe provided me a very timely answer.

If you are interested in moving to Florida, then vehicle maintenance, insurance and registration may be a topic of discussion as you plan for what the budget may look like on the other side of your move. As a consumer there were a few things that I wish I would have known before we moved. It would not have change our decision to move here, but it might have changed how we prepared for our move or how we managed the dollars in our start up funds.

March 26th is National Make Your Own Holiday Day. Naturally, our own resident crafter said we needed to make ROBOT DAY! We share our fun and hopefully offer some creativity for the inspired crafter in you!

Whether you are already using a Gluten Free diet, you are just starting out or you just want yummy, healthy & filling snacks for you & your family, these snacks are a great place to start! Stef shares her Top 5 Gluten-Free Recommended Snacks for traveling, road-trips or any day on the go!

I love an easy meal that is customizable and can either feed an army or leave leftovers for a busy week. Stef’s 5 STEP HEALTH DINNER recipe is great. If you have just moved in to a new house and haven’t unpacked everything or if you are planing a busy week at Walt Disney World and want to save money on a meal with easy reheat leftovers. Make sure to read this blog for Stef’s secret ingredient, too!

Is Leap Day really a refund of time? How can we best use this day to support the people we love and the things we would love to be doing?

Many of our readers may find this an ironic blog as a current Florida resident is writing about National Hate Florida Day, but I’m not writing this for the reasons you may think. It’s no secret that even after so many years of living in Florida, there are things that I still struggle with about not living in the midwest, near mountains or frankly, anywhere but here. However, I can see now that living here in Florida does have it’s benefits. US News and World Report just released their 2023 rankings for Overall Best States, let’s dive in and see how we did!

There were several reasons that drew us to Central Florida when we moved here in 2008. Josh and I each have our own list, but these are the 3 we can agree on. See what’s on our list and what would have been more helpful for us when we started our Resort Hopper Life.