We recently moved into a new house, and as I’m sure you are aware, moving often means getting new furniture. In our case, we needed a sectional sofa to fill a large great room with 20 foot ceilings. After looking around, we decided to get a 5 piece sectional from the Futon Shop. What I love about the Futon Shop is that they have all-natural furniture with the option to have organic fill. They are non-toxic and chemical free which is really important to me and my family. As you can see in the picture below, they are comfy and we often find our youngest son sleeping on it. 

One tip when buying from the Futon Shop (or anywhere, really) is to measure the space and make sure it is big (or small) enough. We initially purchased a smaller size, but when we put it all together, we realized that we needed one more piece, which we then purchased. The dimensions are posted on the site, so you should be able to measure before buying. Learn more about the Futon Shop and its natural furniture here. 

They have so many different options for colors fabrics, and in the end we chose to go with a white color. Now, many of you know that I have 3 boys, with another on the way, so you are probably thinking I am crazy for having white furniture. I have had that thought myself if I am being completely honest, but it went really well with the overall design and color scheme of our home so we went with it anyway. 

Before making the choice, I did some research and found that you really can take some steps to keep white furniture clean. It isn’t easy, and of course there are going to be accidents, but I wanted to share some tips today about keeping that new white sofa clean. 

Pre-Treat the Fabric

The first thing you should do when you get your white furniture is treat it with fabric protector. This can make a world of difference because they are designed to repel spills and other messes. Based on my experience, this is not going to protect it from everything, but it definitely does a good job of repelling small spills and other accidents. There are many options to choose from, but I always recommend trying it on a small piece of the fabric on the underside of a pillow or somewhere else that isn’t visible to make sure it doesn’t cause any issues. 

Follow the Manufacturer’s Guidelines and Wash Often

The sofa that we got from the Futon Shop comes with easily removable covers for the cushions and pillows. This makes it easy to remove them and wash them in the washing machine from time-to-time. If you are using white slipcovers, you can take those off as well and wash them when needed. The important thing here is to make sure that you are following the manufacturer’s instructions for washing. Many fabrics require using only cold water and air drying. If you follow the instructions for washing the fabric, your furniture will last longer and should stay cleaner as well. 

Don’t let Spills Sit for a Long Time. 

The longer you wait to clean a stain, the more difficult it will be to remove and maintain the white color for your sofa. For example, if your child drops a popsicle on the couch, you should wipe it up right away and use a spot stain remover and probably wash that part of the couch at the very least. If you let it sit, it will be very difficult to get rid of later. 

Make and Enforce Rules 

This may seem like a crazy idea to all of you moms of boys out there, but if you want to keep your white furniture clean, you have to set rules and you have to enforce them. For example, we have movie night every night in our family room. With movie night, we serve ice cream, but my boys know that the rule is that we do not eat the ice cream on the couch. In fact, our overall rule is that there is no eating on the couch ever. It was hard for them to adjust, but they are used to the rule now and that has helped me keep our beautiful sofa clean. 

If you are going to spend money on a new couch, you should definitely take the time to make sure that you are doing what you can to keep it clean. I hope that these tips are helpful for you! Let me know in the comments below if you have any other tips. 

The post How to Keep Your White Furniture Clean appeared first on My Latina Table.

This post is sponsored by one or more of the featured companies. All opinions are my own. 

This really is the most wonderful time of the year! There is just a different feeling in the air, and I look forward to it every year. One of my favorite parts of this season is being able to buy presents for the people that I love. There is nothing like seeing the look on their face when they open a present that they were hoping for or even one that they hadn’t thought of!

This year, I have been working on a gift guide that is perfect for those of you that have a “foodie” in your life. You will find a wide variety of products in different price ranges. I hope that you can find something that catches your eye! 

Without further ado, here is the list! I am including ten of my top picks with a short description, followed by an additional list of honorable mentions. Enjoy!

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Holiday Flavors Bundle

I love Nielsen-Massey Vanillas! They have many different varieties, and you can just tell that they are high-quality. This time of year, many different recipes call for flavor extracts, such as peppermint, vanilla, and almond. For example, this capirotada recipe uses Nielsen-Massey’s Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract. 

Nielsen-Massey uses a proprietary cold extraction process instead of heat extraction to preserve the 300+ delicate flavor compounds present in vanilla beans, giving Nielsen-Massey extracts a rich, complex flavor profile. You can definitely taste the difference when using these products. 

A great gift option this year for your foodie friends is Nielsen-Massey’s Holiday Flavors Bundle. It comes with the following three flavors: 

• Pure Almond Extract
• Pure Peppermint Extract
• Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract 

You can buy this bundle now by following this link. 

Traeger Elite Series Pellet Smoker

I bought my husband a Traeger Texas Elite 34 pellet smoker for his birthday this year, and we could not be happier. It has tons of capacity for burgers, ribs, chicken, and more. We have even made nachos and pizza on it! One of our favorites, however, was the brisket that my husband made. Check out the recipe here. 

This is a great option for your foodie friend or family member (and you will reap the benefits as well)!

Check out their full line of smokers here. 

Already have a Traeger smoker? The following are also a great gift to enhance its use:

• Pellets
• Rubs
• Sauces
• Accessories

ButcherBox Subscription + Get Free Bacon

Have a foodie friend that loves meat? A ButcherBox subscription might be the perfect option this year. You can customize the types of grass-fed, delicious meat that he or she will receive and if you use any of the links in this section, you can get free bacon added on each delivery for the life of the subscription! 

Vegetarian foodie friend? Check out these SmoothieBoxes. 

Blendtec 725 Countertop Blender

Every foodie needs a good blender, and no one makes them better than Blendtec. We got the 725 series a little over a year ago and it has been amazing. It is easy to use and makes perfect smoothies, salsas, and more. 

Check it out by clicking on the image above or on this link. 

Instant Pot

 The Instant Pot has been one of the most popular kitchen items for the past couple of years. I don’t have one yet, but I hope to get one soon (hint, hint). I know a lot of people that have this and they rave about how versatile and easy to use it is. 

If you are looking for a sure way to please your foodie family member, buy this now. 

Slow Cooker

 Another great option is to get your foodie friend a new slow cooker. There are so many different types now, but to be honest, I think I will always prefer the manual dial version. I have seen some newer ones with fancy buttons, but if you read the reviews the extra technology isn’t always as effective as you would think.

I have always used the one with the manual dial, and it works year after year. Check it out here. 

Knife Set

Knives are one of the most important and used tools in the kitchen. Every foodie could use a new set. You will find sets at many different prices. You don’t have to get the most expensive, but you should get a set that is high quality.

Here is one that caught my eye this year. 

Mixing Bowls with Lids

I use mixing bowls pretty much every day in my kitchen. For me, having high-quality mixing bowls with lids is essential. Having the lids makes it super easy to store leftovers and extra batter. 

Check out a great option here. 

Air Fryer

Here is another popular item that I haven’t quite pulled the trigger on yet. Enjoy all of your favorite fried foods without the oil. I’m a foodie, and I would like this, so I bet your foodie friends and family members would too!

Check it out here. 

Stand Mixer

Without a doubt, every foodie needs a stand mixer. The gold standard for stand mixers has been the KitchenAid, but there are many other more affordable options as well. I personally have and love my KitchenAid, and you can find that here.

However, if you are looking for a more affordable option, the CHEFTRONIC line looks pretty great too! 

Honorable Mentions

• Wooden Spoon Set
• Cookware
• Bakeware
• Steamer for Tamales
• Tortilla Press
• Apron
• Hot Pads
• Nugget Ice Maker
• Hot Sauce Gift Set
• Traeger Cook Book
• Hand Mixer
• Immersion Blender

I hope that at least one of these ideas sticks out to you for a present to buy for your foodie friend or family member this year. Let me know if you have any other great ideas in the comments below!

The post My Latina Table Ultimate Foodie Gift Guide (2018) 20+ Great Ideas appeared first on My Latina Table.

I am so excited to share this in-depth review on the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe resort in Mexico. My husband and I recently returned from our anniversary trip, and we had a great time.

For some background on us, my husband and I got married in 2009. Right after we got married, we spent our honeymoon at a resort in Playa del Carmen, which is in the same general area as Cancun. After that, we had three kids and we hadn’t had the opportunity to go on any trips together as a couple.

This year, we felt like the kids were old enough to stay with my mom, so we decided to book a trip to celebrate our 9th anniversary. We spent quite a bit of time researching different all-inclusive resorts in Cancun before eventually deciding on the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe Resort.

In this blog post, I am going to provide an in-depth review of our experience. I will cover the below topics. For each topic, I will assign a score based on the total number of points for each topic. As you can see, some topics have a higher total point value, because in my opinion, they are more important to the overall experience.

1. Check-In Process (5 total points)
2. Room Options (15 total points)
3. Dining Options (15 total points)
4. Entertainment Options (10 total points)
5. Spa Experience (5 total points)
6. Vacation Club Presentation (10 total points)
7. Location (10 total points)
8. Beach and Pool (10 total points)

Please remember that this review is based mainly on our own experience. Obviously, we didn’t experience all of the different room options, and we weren’t even able to try all of the restaurants, but we did as much as we could and hope that this review is helpful for anyone considering a trip at the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe.

Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about this resort at TripAdvisor

Check-In Process At The Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe – 2/5

We started our trip early in the morning, with an anticipated arrival time at the resort at about 5 pm local time. We contracted our airport to hotel transportation through Cancun Transportation, and it went very well. The driver was waiting for us upon arrival and the fees were very reasonable.

We made it to the hotel right around 5:30 pm. When we arrived, the bellhop put a tag on our bags and took them, telling us that they would be waiting for us at our room when we finished checking in. After that, we were ushered over to the check-in area. We thought that it would go quickly, because there were two people already being attended to by the staff, and we were next in line.

Unfortunately, it didn’t go as quickly as we had envisioned. Keep in mind, at this point we were extremely tired from traveling all day and we just wanted to get to our room. For some reason, the two people in front of us had some issues that they were discussing, and it wasn’t our turn for at least 20 minutes. At this point, we were a bit frustrated, because there were many other desks open at reception and it looked like there were other staff members that could help us.

Nevertheless, we waited and eventually it was our turn. The check-in itself was relatively painless. We asked right off the bat if there were any upgrades available. It took the staff member about 5-10 minutes to look it up on his computer, but eventually, he told us that he could upgrade us to the adult-only Royal Tower for $60.00 extra per night. For us, that turned out to be about $300.00 extra.

We felt that the upgrade cost was a bit high, but we decided to go for it since it seemed like it would be worth it in the end. More on the room later.

After we received our keys, we were introduced to a “concierge”, who was supposed to explain a little bit about the resort and get us to our room. In reality, this was just a glorified sales pitch to try to get us to join one of their “tours” of the resort (aka – Vacation Club presentation). I don’t want to get too deep into that yet, because there is a whole section about it below.

I will say though, that we spent a good 20-30 minutes with the concierge before we were able to actually get to our rooms. We did end up signing up for one of the presentations, mainly just to get to our room so that we could relax.

Overall, the check-in experience was not positive for us. We understand that an all-inclusive resort does require some extra explanation, but in our opinion, it should never take nearly an hour to get checked-in and to the room. The staff was nice (although the concierge did apply a lot of pressure for the vacation club presentation), but the wait times were unacceptable. That is why I can only give a 2 out of 5 for our check-in experience.

Room Options At The Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe – 12/15

The Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe has many different room options. You can check them all out here.

We originally booked the Deluxe Ocean View room, which looked like a pretty good option. It would have an ocean view and was in the main building. The main building is not adult-only, so that is something to keep in mind if you are not traveling with children.

Breathtaking view of the sun rising from our Royal Tower suite.

We probably would have been fine keeping our original room, but in the end, we decided that we wanted something a little bit more luxurious for our stay. During check-in, we were offered an upgrade (at a cost) to the Royal Tower Jacuzzi Suite Ocean Front. This room is about 70-80 square feet bigger than the Deluxe Ocean View room, and it had a Jacuzzi. In addition, those staying in the Royal Tower are assigned a “mayordomo” or “butler”, who is there to help with reservations and any other questions.

This was actually a very big selling point for us. We just had to tell our mayordomo when we wanted to reserve anything at the resort, and she took care of it for us. For others staying at the resort, they have to go to the restaurant on their own and reserve it. It was nice not to have to worry about that at all.

Our mayordomo was named Jessica, and we were extremely happy with her. She went above and beyond to explain everything to us and to ensure that we had a great stay.

We also let them know that we were celebrating our anniversary, so they surprised us with a couple of special amenities.

We came back to this surprise on the second day!

The room itself was great. The view was amazing and it was so nice to be able to relax on the balcony while watching the waves rush up against the shore.

View out the window from the Royal Tower suites.

We had a couple of issues with the room that I do want to bring up. First, one of the sinks was not draining when we first go there. Since there were two sinks, it wasn’t a huge issue, and when we brought it up the next morning, it was fixed very quickly by the maintenance crew.

The other issue arose on the second night. We were sleeping, and we started hearing a really loud “clapping” sound coming from the air conditioner. It sounded like something may have been loose and was banging around in the ceiling. After about 20 minutes, my husband just stood up and turned off the AC, and then turned it back on again. After that, we didn’t hear the sound again.

The old “turn it off and back on again” apparently works for air conditioners too!

Overall, we really enjoyed the room. The view was unforgettable, and it was very relaxing. There were a couple of minor issues, but I would still give the room a 12 out of 15.

Book Your Room At The Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe Today!

Dining Options At The Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe – 14/15

One of the very bright spots of our stay at the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe was the food. There are some really great options, and since it is all-inclusive (with the exception of the Steak House, which I will discuss below), it is really easy to try all, or most, of the food.

Dinner at the Prime Rib House on our last night.

Here is a quick rundown of all of the dining options:

1. Cocay Restaurant. This is in the main building and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is served buffet style and has different options each day. We tried this pretty much once a day at least when we stayed at the resort. The breakfast was by far our favorite. They had chilaquiles, which we love, apple pancakes, an omelet bar, eggs, fruits, and more! The lunch was good both times that we tried it, and we have no reason to believe it wouldn’t be good for dinner, although we didn’t have a chance to try that.
2. El Mirador (Italian). We tried the Italian restaurant, called El Mirador, on our second night at the resort. The service was amazing and the food was delicious. My husband tried the traditional lasagna, and I tried the beef cannoli. Since this is an all-inclusive resort, we also ordered the ribeye steak and a pizza to share. Everything that we tried was amazing and I definitely recommend that you try this while you are there.
3. El Oriental (Japanese). We had a very odd experience when we tried El Oriental restaurant. The night we went was “rodizio” night, and it was explained to us that they would come around with some appetizers and that we could eat all we wanted. Then, we were supposed to be served the main meat dishes as well. When we arrived, it seemed like none of the staff knew what they were doing. We heard them arguing with each other, and we were only provided a couple of appetizers before our plates were taken away. Next, they did bring us the kabobs, which tasted pretty good, but were definitely not filling. We ordered a second round of our non-alcoholic pina coladas, and they never arrived. We ended up leaving at that point because it just wasn’t a good experience overall. Our experience may have been an anomaly, but we were disappointed.
4. La Concha (Seafood/Mexican Cuisine). We were really excited to try this restaurant, but unfortunately, we weren’t able to on this trip. We had a couple of all day trips planned to Chichen Itza and XCaret parks, so on those days were did not eat at the resort. We planned to eat at La Concha on our last night. Unfortunately, we were not aware that it wasn’t open on Sundays (the other restaurants are), so we didn’t get to try it. I heard great things about this place though, so you may want to check it out.
5. Prime Rib House. This is the only restaurant on the property that is not included at no charge. It is a high-quality prime rib and lobster restaurant that you can reserve. The cost is pretty reasonable for what you get. It was 25 dollars each for the prime rib dinner, and you can upgrade to a prime rib and lobster dinner for 5 more dollars. My husband and I both opted for the prime rib, and it was delicious. The 25 dollars includes the salad bar, which had lots of options, the meat, the side (we chose the baked potato), and a fancy dessert. It also includes drinks. We weren’t sure if we wanted to do it, but since it was our last night and La Concha wasn’t available, we decided to give it a try. While it was delicious, there are plenty of other non-paid options that you will not be disappointed.
6. El Jardin Snack Bar. This was a great find! We went to El Jardin Snack Bar on our first night, and discovered that they served about 5 or 6 different varieties of authentic street tacos. They had al pastor, chorizo, bistec, and alambre. We could not get enough of this little gem while we were at the resort. The tacos were amazing and really reminded us that we really were in Mexico! We went there three out of the five nights that we were at the resort. During the day they serve hot dogs, nachos, and hamburgers, which we didn’t try, but that looked pretty good as well.
7. Cafe Sole. Cafe Sole is a small little cafe inside the main building, right near the lobby. It serves a variety of baked goods, sandwiches, and ice cream. We stopped by there for some pastries and an ice cream cone on multiple occasions, and everything was quick and good. Definitely recommended for a quick snack.
8. Pizza Corner. This is one option that we did not have the chance to try. I wish we would have, but we just ran out of time. I have heard that it is pretty quick and the pizza is tasty, but I didn’t have a first-hand experience. Probably a good place to try!

There are a variety of bars throughout the resort. My husband and I do not drink, so I cannot provide an opinion on any of the bars. That said, they always seems to be full and I have heard good things about them. There is a swim-up bar in one of the pools, and the people that took advantage of that seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Overall, I will give the dining options at the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe a 14 out of 15. It was that good.

Entertainment Options At The Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe – 4/10

This is one area where we were a little bit disappointed. When we stayed at a resort in Playa del Carmen, one of our favorite parts was the nightly entertainment. There were some amazing shows that we really enjoyed.

During our check-in, the concierge told us that there were nightly shows here as well. He said that the first night there would be a comedy show. After we got settled in our room, we went out looking for it in the area that we were told. When we got there, there was a staff member sweeping the floor, and she said there was no show that night in there, but that we should check by the pool. We checked by the pool and there was nothing.

When we went back to the original conference center, someone told us that there are no shows at all this week. We were really disappointed by that because we considered it part of the package that we had purchased. We checked back on the other nights, and there was never any show going on.

There were a few other entertainment options, such as Bingo, and a volleyball court, but none of those activities really interested us. Fortunately, we were able to go on a few excursions that were very fun, so that made up for it a little bit.

Overall, we were extremely disappointed in the lack of entertainment at the resort, and for that reason, I can only give this resort a 4 out of 10 for entertainment options.

Spa Experience At Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe – 5/5

One of our favorite experiences on our honeymoon was doing a couples massage at the spa. We were happy to find out that the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe also had a spa, and it was something that we definitely wanted to take advantage of.

One of the discounts that we were provided for sitting through the vacation club presentation, was a credit for two free massages at the spa ($100 value).

My wife chose the deep tissue massage, and I chose the Shiat-zu. We were very impressed with the whole experience. They started off by leading us each ot our respective changing areas, and then leading us into the room where we would receive our massages at the same time. Like most spas, the massage room had a very appealing scent and the masseuses did a great job. 

When we finished, we were told that we could use the sauna and steam rooms for as long as we would like. We took advantage of that for a few minutes and then left. 

Overall, this was a great, and very relaxing experience and I had zero complaints. I would definitely give the spa a 5 out of 5. 

Vacation Club Presentation at Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe – 3/10

Before booking this trip, we read multiple reviews online. Many of those reviews brought up the vacation club presentation, so we were prepared for the pitch. The vacation club was first presented to us by the concierge right after we checked in. We had asked whether we could book some activities through the resort. This gave the concierge the opportunity he was looking for. He immediately told us about some amazing discounts that he could provide for Chichen Itza and Experiencias Xcaret. 

It didn’t take long to realize that there was going to be a catch. When we asked, he told us, “in order to show my gratitude”, we want to invite you a breakfast and tour of the resort. He went on to say that in order to get the discounts, we would need to attend the breakfast. We knew that the breakfast and tour would actually be the vacation club presentation, and we told him the same. We said very clearly that we were not going to sign up for their vacation club, and that we didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. He told us that it didn’t matter and that it would be very low pressure. 

We are smart enough to realize that it would not be low pressure, but we did want the discounts. We hesitantly agreed to attend the breakfast, after he wrote down the discounts we would get. The concierge was quick to remind us that a requirement was for us to bring our credit card, because “they needed to see the brand” because they are sponsors of the presentation. Of course, we realized that the real reason is that they want to make sure that they can convince you to sign up and pay right then. We told him we knew the brand of our card and would tell him, but he still insisted that we had to bring the card.

Later that night, we decided we didn’t want to waste our time or anyone else’s, so we called the front desk and told them that we would need to cancel the breakfast. They said that was fine, but that we needed to drop off the voucher by 12:00 PM the next day. We went and dropped it off at the concierge desk, and scurried away pretty quickly. Then, out of nowhere, the same concierge from the night before came chasing us down the hallways. 

He then proceeded to pressure us into going and doing the tour right then. He said, “I just got approval for two free massages and one free trip to Chichen Itza!” We told him that it sounded great, but that we really didn’t want to waste anybody’s time, because there was no way that we were going to sign up for the vacation club. He then admitted that it didn’t matter if we signed up or not because he would get credit just for signing us up. Again, we reluctantly agreed to go. 

From that point on, we were escorted to a nicely-furnished, air-conditioned room where we were greeted by a manager. We told him the same thing – that we were not interested, and that we were taking the tour solely for the discounts. He assured us that they just wanted to show us why it is a great idea, and then it would be a simple yes or no. 

To make a long story a little bit less long, it was NOT a simple yes or no. The man giving the tour was very nice and we know he was just doing his job. However, we were escorted into a large room with other people that were taking the tour. He presented the numbers, and we told him that we absolutely were not going to pay 8,500 dollars right now + 450 dollars per month for 6 years for this vacation club. 

We countered every argument he gave us and after about 5 “no’s”, he said he needed to go tell his manager that we weren’t interested. His manager then came over and proceeded to try to convince us, in a sometimes insulting manner, to sign up for a lower cost package. After another 5 “no’s”, we were transferred to one final person who was supposed to give us a survey. Of course, this turned into one more chance for them to try to sell an even lower package. 

Eventually, we got out of there and received our vouchers. 

Daniel trying to relax in a hammock after finally getting out of the vacation club presentation.

This was not a pleasant experience. We knew that there would be pressure, but the level of pressure, especially after we made it abundantly clear that we were not interested, was over the top. If you are confident that you can say no and you don’t mind wasting 2-3 hours (our’s didn’t even have the breakfast, and it still took over 2 hours), you might want to do this. However, make sure you get as much out of them as possible and get it in writing. 

I am giving this 3 out of 10 points, because the actual salesperson that gave the tour was nice, and because we did get some good vouchers. 

Location Of Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe – 8/10

It is hard to go wrong in the hotel zone at Cancun. The entire area is beautiful with great access to the beach. It is a relatively short (about 15-25 minutes) trip from the airport to this resort. This resort isn’t one of the first few hotels, but it is only about half-way through the hotel zone, so it is a good location. 

We also were pleased to find that there were a couple of “plazas” within walking distance where we were able to go and get some souvenirs that were much more affordable than the store inside the resort. Just make sure that you go to a few different stores because the prices can vary based on what you look like and how well you speak Spanish. Most of the people assumed my husband didn’t speak Spanish, but once he started negotiating with them in Spanish, the prices dropped pretty quickly! 

At the Plaza Flamingo getting some last minute souvenirs.

The weather was amazing while we were there, and it was really just a great, relatively quiet and peaceful location. 

The only reason I am docking this a couple of points is that it would have been nice to be a little bit closer to the start of the hotel zone and because the traffic outside of the resorts is pretty crazy. There were a couple of times when we were walking to the plaza where we felt very unsafe because of the speed of the cars that were driving by. Overall, I give the location an 8 out of 10. 

Beaches and Pools and Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe – 8/10 

One of the main draws to Cancun is its amazing beaches. We hadn’t been to the beach for years before this trip, so we were pretty excited to get back. 

Fortunately, the beach at the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe didn’t disappoint. As you can see in some of these pictures, the water was stunning and the beach was great. We had so many other activities planned during the week, that we didn’t spend too much time at the beach. That said, we did go down there on two occasions during our stay.

Daniel on the beach – nice farmer’s tan!

Daniel swimming in the ocean – kind of.

The first time we went to the beach was on a day when there was a ton of seaweed for some reason. That did make it a little bit less enjoyable, but it was still relaxing nonetheless.

Lots of seaweed on the first day at the beach.

On our last day at the resort, we reserved a canopy (a perk of the Royal Tower rooms), and were able to spend quite a bit of time down there just relaxing and spending time on the beach. That day, there was no seaweed, and the waves were bigger than normal. It was so fun and we really enjoyed it. 

Charbel relaxing in the beach canopy.

Daniel standing on the beach

Charbel having fun on the beach.

With respect to the pools, we really only spent time in one of them. There are two main pools. The first pool runs in the main section of the resort and has plenty of space. The second one is over by the Royal Tower rooms and is adult only with a swim-up bar. We only went to the pool once, but it was pretty nice. It was an “edgeless” pool, so the water just flowed seamlessly over the edge. Since we don’t drink alcohol, we didn’t spend any time a the bar and cannot provide any rating there. 

View of the main pool at Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe

Overall, I would give the beach and pools at the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe an 8 out of 10, because the seaweed was kind of disappointing on one day. 

Final Thoughts and Overall Rating

Overall, we had a wonderful time on this trip. We spent two full days away from the resort at Chichen Itza and XCaret Parques, so that had a lot to do with our amazing experience. That said, the resort was good overall. I am not going to say that it was the best resort, but it did meet our needs for the most part. We were really disappointed in the lack of on-site entertainment and with the vacation club presentation, and those are the main reasons for this resort not receiving a higher score. 

I definitely would recommend this resort, but make sure you go prepared and don’t hesitate to look for better options. I can say with confidence that you will have a good time, but there may be somewhere that is better for you.

After adding all of the scores together, the final score that My Latina Table gives to the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe is 56 out of 80 (70%). 

Check out and compare other resorts located in Cancun here!

If you have gone to the Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe, what did you like or not like about it? Was your experience the same? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Cancun All-Inclusive Resort Review: Grand Park Royal Cancun Caribe appeared first on My Latina Table.

5 homemade baby food combinations that your baby will love, and how to store them.

It’s true what they say about each child being different. I have 3 young boys, and while they are similar in many ways, they are very different in others. This is especially true when it comes to their tastes in food. My 7 year old will eat just about anything, and my 4 year old is very picky!

We just had baby boy number 3 at the beginning of this year, and we are finally getting to see some of his personality. With my first two boys, they were perfectly content to eat any baby food that we gave them, but our most recent addition to the family loves homemade baby food made with different combinations of flavors.

We started him out with rice cereal and he enjoyed that for awhile. That was convenient for me of course, because all I had to do was add some water and stir until it was ready to go. Whenever I made rice cereal for him, I liked to use Gerber® Pure® Water. I use it to mix his rice cereal and to include in homemade baby foods, because it is specially purified for babies. Anything that I can do to help my baby grow up strong is good in my book! You can find out more information about Gerber® Pure® Water here and you can buy it at your local Walmart.

After a few weeks of rice cereal, it was clear that my baby was going to need something else. I gave him baby food from the store for his age, but I quickly found that it was easier to make my own homemade baby foods and he liked them even more! Today I am going to share 5 of the best homemade baby food combinations. My baby loves them and I am sure that yours will too.

1. Apple, Banana, Cinnamon, & Oatmeal

This one is made by adding half a cup of old fashioned oats with one cup of Gerber® Pure® Water and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a small saucepan. Then heat it over medium for 3-5 minutes. While that is cooking, peel the apple and cut it into small cubes. Finally, add the oatmeal, bananas and the apples to a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Spinach, Sweet Peas, and Flank Steak

To make this delicious combination, cook the flank steak in a pot with a couple of cups of boiling Gerber® Pure® Water. Once cooked, you can shred it or just cut it into small pieces so you can blend it easier. Open a can of sweet peas, drain out the liquid, and rinse. The last ingredient is half a bunch of spinach. Add the steak, the sweet peas, and the cleaned and disinfected spinach to a blender and blend until smooth.

3. Carrots and Squash

Take one bag of baby carrots and cook in one liter of boiling Gerber® Pure® Water until soft. Do the same with one squash. Add the carrots and squash with a pinch of ground turmeric to a blender and blend until smooth.

4. Mangoes, Kale, and Ginger

Take the meat from one fresh mango (or a can of mangoes in 100% juice) and a half bunch of kale and add it to a blender with a pinch of ground ginger. Add a couple of tablespoons of Gerber® Pure® Water and blend until smooth

5. Blueberry, Avocado, and Pears

Drain the juice from one can of pears, rinse and add to a blender. Do the same with a can of pears. Finally, add one mature peeled and cored avocado to the blender. Once everything is in the blender, blend until smooth.

Storage Tips

1. Mason Jars. You can find small glass mason jars with white plastic tops. This is where you can store the food that your little one is going to eat within 1-3 weeks if refrigerated. Just add the baby food and tighten the lid before storing in the refrigerator. If you need to store it for longer, you can *freeze in these jars or follow one of the other tips below. Don’t forget to label them!

1. Plastic Storage Containers with Lid. Another way to store these is to add the baby food to a small plastic storage container with lids. You can refrigerate these as well or *freeze them. You will want to label each of these as well.

1. Ice Cube Tray. One of my favorite ways to store homemade baby food is to put them into the individual spaces on an ice tray right after I make them. Then you cover them with plastic wrap and put them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can remove them just like you would an ice cube and store in individual, labeled bags in the *freezer. When you are ready to serve them to your baby, select 3 or 4 “baby food cubes” and heat in the microwave for around 1 minute, or until it returns to the original consistency.

*using each of these methods, you can store the baby food in the freezer for up to 3 months.

My baby has been a happy camper ever since I started making these homemade baby foods for him. The great thing is that you can make all of these in less than an hour, you can make a lot, and you will save money in the process.

What combinations of baby foods have you tried? Let me know in the comments below.

The post The 5 Best Homemade Baby Food Combinations appeared first on My Latina Table.

I can hardly believe that another school year has come and gone! My son will be having his last day of first grade next week. I am excited to spend more time with him, but I am also nervous because I don’t want him to get bored during the summer. It is important for me to have lots of fun activities for him and his brothers to do, but it can be hard to think of new ideas.

Today I want to share 5 fun activities that you can do with your kids during the summer that they will always remember.

Thank You To Chuck E. Cheese’s for Sponsoring this Post

Attempt to Break A Guinness World Records^TM

I don’t know about you, but I always used to love reading the Guinness World Records^TM so that I could see all of the interesting things that people did. I never really considered trying to break one, but now that I have kids I think it would be really fun. If you need some

If you want to be a part of  a Guinness Worlds Records^TM record attempt, and get some free pizza while you are at it, go to Chuck E. Cheese’s on May 19, 2017. To celebrate its 40th birthday, Chuck E Cheese’s will be hosting an event and attempting to break the Guinness World Records^TM record for “Most People Blowing Party Blowers Simultaneously For 10 Seconds.”

Every child that comes in on that day will receive a free slice of cake and 40 free tickets, while supplies last! The record breaking attempt will begin at 6:40 MST. Don’t forget to get there about 30 minutes before the world record breaking attempt begins.

To get in on this attempt you will need to act fast, but you can always try to break other Guinness World Records with your kids as well! My sister-in-law put together a fun list of 10 kid-friendly Guinness World Records that you can try to break with your kids. Check out the list here.

Go To An Aquarium

Everyone goes to the zoo. That is not a bad thing, we love the zoo! That said, it can be fun to mix it up a little bit and go to a local aquarium. We have gone to our aquarium here in Denver a few times and the kids love it every time.

It is so fun to see all of the marine animals. There are some aquariums that will even let you feed some of the animals and get up close with them. This is something that my kids love and it is fun for adults too!

Go On A Family Camping Trip

I have to admit that I have never been much of a camper. Growing up in Mexico, I never really had the opportunity to go camping in the way that it is popular here in the United States. I am the type that really likes the outdoors, but I also really like a clean bathroom and sleeping on a bed!

Even though I may not be too into roughing it in the wild for days at a time, I can still enjoy going to the mountains for a night and spending time with my kids. There are definitely a lot of great products to make camping more comfortable and these are times that your kids will always remember. My husband always tells me about the times that he went camping with his family and how those were some of his fondest memories. I hope that my kids can have those same memories to share when they get older.

Go To A Sprinkler Park

Have you ever heard of a sprinkler park? I hadn’t heard of it until a couple of summers ago when a friend of mine told me about them. They are basically just a big park, with a large open area with sprinklers of all shapes and sizes spraying water all over the place. The first time that I took my kids, they loved it!

There are usually sand boxes and other playground equipment nearby, but the kids tend to congregate towards the sprinklers – they just love getting wet. These places can get pretty crowded, and this because they are so fun! If you don’t know if there is one near you, I recommend just searching online and you may be surprised to find one that you can visit this summer.

Plant A Garden Together

One of my favorite activities to do with my kids is work together in the yard to plant a garden. Kids are really fascinated by being able to plant seeds and watch them grow over the summer. This can be a really great activity to do with your kids. It is especially good because it is something that you can do together everyday.

When my kids were a little bit smaller, they always wanted to help me pull weeds, dig holes, and put the seeds in. At that age, they couldn’t do too much, but they still loved to help. Now, they still like doing those things, but they are even more helpful when it comes to watering the plants and checking on them everyday. If you haven’t ever planted a garden with your kids, I recommend it. It is inexpensive, and it may even provide you with lots of delicious fruits and vegetables that you can eat together too!

I really hope that some of these ideas will help you come up with some fun things to do this summer.

In addition to all of the above, don’t miss out on going back to Chuck E. Cheese’s often during the summer. The Guinness World Records record attempt is just one of many exciting events and deals that Chuck E Cheese’s is offering to celebrate it’s birthday. You can upload an image of your receipt showing that you were at Chuck E Cheese’s between 4/10 and 5/19 for a chance to win a VIP birthday party for up to 20 kids. You can find more offers and information on the Chuck E. Cheese’s digital hub, www.40yearsoffun.com.

We had one of these birthday parties for my son last year and it was amazing! Check out our experience here.

Chuck E. Cheese’s is also offering its new Eat & Play Express package starting this month (May 2017). With the new Eat & Play Express package you can save time, have fun with your kids, and get lunch at the same time. The good thing is that you can be in and out in an hour or less. It is available from Monday-Thursday, costs between $31.99 and $32.99, and includes the following:

• 1 Large 1-Topping Pizza
• 4 Drinks
• Two (2) 20-minute Play Pass cards or 45 tokens (for non-Play Pass stores)
• Chuck E. Cheese Appearance
• One dessert per order (either the giant chocolate chip cookie or Cinnamon Dessert Pizza, based on availability)

Also – if the pizza doesn’t arrive in 20 minutes, you will receive a FREE dessert.

We are definitely looking forward to this summer – what do you have planned?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Chuck E. Cheese’s. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post 5 Fun Activities To Do With Your Kids This Summer appeared first on My Latina Table.

If you had told me 7 years ago when I moved to the United States for the first time, that I would be able to make a good income to supplement my husband’s job, I probably would have told you were crazy. Yet here I am – raising my three little boys alongside my husband, working from home on my own schedule, and bringing in some money at the same time.

I have always loved cooking, but I never thought that I could make money sharing the recipes I learned in my youth. A couple of years ago, however, my sister-in-law started a very successful blog and encouraged my husband and I to start one as well.

At that time, my husband was still in school and we were definitely struggling with finances a little bit. I had two little boys and I wanted to be with them as much as possible. At the same time, I wanted to help my husband as much as possible. My dilemma was figuring out how to make some money, and still spend as much time with my kids as possible. An online blog business was a perfect choice for us.

In today’s society, it is definitely difficult to survive on one income. I made the decision a long time ago that I wanted to stay home with my kids. I understand, however, that that isn’t the right decision for everyone. I respect moms that are able to work outside of the home and I hope that they never feel guilty about it. We should all support each other.

I am grateful to be working with BBVA Compass, who sponsored this post, to share some tips with all of you on how I am able to work from home and feel good about it. I love the podcast that I just listened to which called “Mompreneurs” and which gives some great practical advice which is definitely relevant to the blog business which I have built. You can find it and other great podcasts on the Working Moms Mean Business section of the BBVA Compass website here.

With that introduction, I hope you enjoy the following five tips for working from home and enjoying it.

Find something to do that you enjoy

If I didn’t love cooking and taking pictures of food like the one below, I don’t think my blog would have lasted as long as it has or been as successful. When I decided to create a blog, I knew that the main focus would be on the delicious recipes that I learned how to make in Mexico. It then expanded to a few other topics, such as parenting and DIY, but the main focus is still on food.

Lemon Carlota – Click The Image For The Recipe.

My first bit of advice is to really figure out what interests you and get to work! If you are able to find a job for someone else that lets you work from home, and it is in an industry that you enjoy, I say go for it. If you want to work for yourself, it is even easier to find something that you like. Do your market research and give it a go. There are so many resources online for starting a blog or really any other business.

Plan Your Week In Advance

One of the struggles of raising my kids and working from home is managing my time. I have started setting fixed hours during the day and evening when I can dedicate almost completely to my blog business. That way I am never scrambling to get my work done and my husband and kids know what I am doing as well.

I am able to coordinate my time so that I am not taking away time from my kids and their activities, but I am also not compromising the success of my blog. I usually try to work about 2 hours per day, but sometimes it is more. It really depends on the nature of your work and your long term goals.

Set up a space dedicated to your work

I can’t understate the importance of this one. There are times when I will just sit at the kitchen table and work, but those time are usually the least effective. This last year we bought a pretty nice desk and put it in a place in the house where I am able to concentrate and edit picture, write blog posts, and promote them. It has really made a difference and combined with the second point above, has helped me to make a lot of progress.

We are getting ready to move to a new home and I am excited to set up a more official home office that I can dedicate to my work. I am excited not only about the space, but also about the potential tax benefits.

Lean on your support system

I am fortunate to have a husband who has supported me in this business from the beginning. He helps me with some of the blog posts, watches the kids when I am working on something, motivates me, and much more.

It is so important to have a support system when working from home on your own business. It is even more important to be able to lean on them and accept their help. This can be a husband, kids, friends, or really anyone. Let them know how much you appreciate them and let them help you!

Don’t feel guilty

Sometimes when I am working I feel guilty – I feel like I should be spending more time with my kids instead of working on a blog post. It was hard for me to get over this and sometimes I still feel it.

What has really helped me though, is following the tips above and remembering that my family is the reason that I am doing this.

I enjoy what I do, and that is important, but the real reason is because I want to contribute in some small way to my family’s success and happiness.

There is a great e-book that I read recently called “Mom Guilt.” It goes over a lot of these topics and how you can stop feeling guilty for working. I suggest it to any of you working moms out there who could use some support. You can download it for free here.

I hope that these tips are helpful to some of you. It hasn’t been easy being a “work from home mom”, but it has been worth it. I have been able to do it without affecting my children’s schedule and it has truly been a blessing for my family.

If you are a working mom, what are some ways that you have been able to balance work and family life? I would love to hear about it in the comments section below.

The post Five Tips For Working From Home appeared first on My Latina Table.

Getting your kids to drink more water can be difficult, in this article, I will share three fun ways to make it easier.

Colorado is such a great place to live and there are so many different things to do outdoors as a family. Of course going to the mountains is always a fun destination, but there are a lot of other parks and activities that are fun as well.

One thing that all of these activities have in common is that they can definitely make you tired! Walking around through the mountains or going on hikes can really take the energy right out of you and it can be easy to get dehydrated. That is why whenever we plan one of these activities, we make sure that we have lots of water with us to keep us going strong all day.

Of course when kids are involved, they are much more interested in running around and finding things to do then in drinking water and staying hydrated. I usually have to remind them to drink water when we are out on our trips, and it can turn into a bit of a battle sometimes. That is why today I want to share three things that I do to get my kids to actually want to drink their water and to enjoy it.

I always make sure that I have a healthy supply of bottled water at our house, so that when we do head out, I don’t have to worry about whether we will have any. In order to have enough water, I am always looking for the best value. For example, at Walmart now you can get a great value on Nestlé® Pure Life® bottled water – now a 35 pack is the same cost as the old 32 pack (35 pack is only available in stores – not online).

If the 35-pack of Nestle Pure Life is not available in your local Walmart, please ask a store manager about getting the product in your area.

Nestle Pure Life is re-launching in mid-May and it will have new packaging. We love Nestle Pure Life because we know that they are committed to quality through their 12 Step Quality Process, which you can read about here. Being hydrated is so important, so now is a great time to stock up on Nestle Pure Life, especially since you are getting more for your money. Visit nestlepurelife.com to sign up for promotions, offers and more.

Now for the tips!

GET YOUR KIDS TO DRINK MORE WATER BY ADDING FRESH FRUIT

One thing that I have done that has really worked to get my boys to drink more water is adding fresh fruit. This is so simple, but the kids love it!

The sky is really the limit here – you can choose whatever variety or combination of fruit that you want and that you know your kids enjoy. For example, I will sometimes add a couple of wedges of lemon and a few raspberries to a glass of water.

Whenever I do this, they can’t wait to drink their water! You can open up a bottle of Nestle Pure Life to and it it in before closing the lid and taking it with you on the road as well.

GET YOUR KIDS TO DRINK MORE WATER BY MAKING FRUIT FLAVORED ICE CUBES

Another fun thing that I have done to help my kids drink more water is making fruit flavored ice cubes. I do this by getting some fresh orange juice, and adding it to an ice cube tray until they are frozen. Once they are frozen all the way, I add them to a glass or bottle of water and the kids love it.

The combination of the color and a slightly different flavors makes water even more exciting for the kids, which is great for me!

GET YOUR KIDS TO DRINK MORE WATER BY USING STRAWS AND DECORATING THE GLASS

This last tip may seem kind of silly, but at least with my kids, just adding a straw and a little bit of decoration to a glass of water is enough to get them to drink it without complaining.

There are a lots of straws that you can get that are in fun shapes and colors and kids love them! In addition to the straws, I will occasionally cut a couple of pieces of cucumber into round pieces and put it on the edge of the glass. The kids may not eat the cucumber, but they sure like having it on there!

I don’t know what it is about the straw, but this always seems to work for us.

A few weeks ago we went down to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs for the weekend. It was so beautiful seeing all of the red rocks and walking along the trails. That said, it was a very warm day (especially for spring time in Colorado!), so we had to stay hydrated.

I used some of these tips, and I didn’t have to worry about whether my kids would drink the water or not. I hope they work for you to and I would love to hear how you get your kids to drink more water in the comments below.

The post Three Fun Ways To Get Your Kids To Drink More Water appeared first on My Latina Table.

My mother-in-law is an amazing example of compassion and is always willing and ready to give service to others. Lastly, when I think of having constant hope, faith, and peace, I think of my mother.

My mom is a shining example of all of the characteristics that I have mentioned so far. I have always looked up to her and consider her more than just a mom – she is friend and an example of the type of person that I always strive to be.

My mom hasn’t had an easy life. She has gone through many trials in her life but I don’t remember ever hearing her complain when I was growing up. Although I am sure that my siblings and I didn’t grow up in the greatest situation, I really never noticed. My mom was always working hard to make sure that we had everything that we needed. She was always there when I was growing up to help me through difficult times and is still always a loving shoulder to lean on and cry on even to this day.

A few years ago my mom was going through some serious trials in her life. Instead of falling down and giving in to temptation and sorrow, she found hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ and was able to make some major changes in her life that have brought her so much happiness.

I always know that I can count on my mom to help me out when I need it and she is always looking out for other people. I am so proud to be able to call her my mom and I hope that I can always have the same kind of hope and faith that she has shown me.

All of the characteristics and principles that I have mentioned in this post – forgiveness, prayers, compassion, faith, hope and peace – are so important and can help us all find more happiness in our lives.

I am excited to be able to work together with mormon.org this Easter season to remind people about the life of Jesus Christ, the #PrinceOfPeace. To find out even more information about these principles of peace and how they can bring you joy in your life, I invite you to visit Mormon.org.

The post Finding Peace and Hope Through Trials appeared first on My Latina Table.

Winter break is a great time to recharge and get ready for the rest of the year, but It is always a challenge to get back into the swing of things after the holidays are over and kids are going back to school. This year was even more of a challenge, because I was 9 months pregnant and my new baby boy was born right at the beginning of January!

As you can imagine, all of these events happening at the same time have made for some stressful and busy mornings. I am blessed to have my mom visiting from Mexico for a few months to help me, but it is still a lot of work getting my 6 year old ready for school after being awake all night. My husband helps me out a lot at night too, but he has to get up early in the mornings to go to work, so it is so important for us to be able to find ways to make our mornings easier. Today I want to share three simple tips for speeding up your mornings.

Pick Out Your Clothes and Get Them Ready The Night Before

This may seem like a small thing, but it is always a relief to be able to get up in the morning and have your clothes already picked out and ready to go in the morning. My husband and I always pick out our clothes and iron them at night so that it is one less thing to worry about in the morning.

This makes a huge difference. If you are like me, you probably have more energy at night than in the morning, so anything that you can can at night instead of the morning will help you have a better morning.

Have Special K Protein Snack Bites on Hand for an On The Go Breakfast

If there is one thing that is easy to forget, it is grabbing breakfast on your way out the door. I am always getting after my husband for not having anything to eat in the mornings before he heads for work. Usually it is because he says he doesn’t have enough time. Well, that is no longer an excuse now that we have discovered Special K Protein Snack Bars and Bites and Special K Nourish Snack Bars and Bites.

These wholesome, protein packed snack bars and bites come in the following flavors:

• Protein Snack Bar flavors: Caramel Pretzel Cashew, Chocolate Cherry Nut
• Nourish Snack Bar flavors: Caramel Almont Sea Salt, Chocolate Coconut Cashew
• Protein Snack Bites flavors: Caramel Nut, Peanut Butter Chocolate
• Nourish Snack Bites flavors: Blueberry Almond Quinoa, Dark Chocolate Pistachio

They are perfect when you have a busy morning ahead of you and you need to get out the door in the hurry. What is even better is that they taste great too!

Plan And Prepare Your Meals On the Weekends Or At Night

My husband and my son always need to eat lunch at school. I prefer that they take something from home rather than buying lunch so that we can save money, but sometimes it can be hard to get those lunches ready in advance.

I have found that packing the lunches the night before improves my mornings because I don’t have to run around in the morning getting pots and pans dirty while trying to get everyone ready at the same time. There is something very satisfying about going to bed knowing that my husband and my son’s lunches are ready for them to take the next day. Another way to do this is to make a variety of meals on the weekend and getting them ready for the whole week all at the same time.

These are just a few simple ways that you can improve your mornings, which will hopefully make your whole day go better.

What are some things that you do to improve your mornings? Let me know in the comments below.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kellogg’s Special K.

The post Three Tips For Improving Your Busy Mornings appeared first on My Latina Table.

Tax time can be stressful as you try to go back and figure out where all of your money went. At the same time, it can be exciting if you are going to end up getting a refund! This year I don’t think we will be getting a refund, but there have been other years that we did and it was always a nice little boost to the bank account.

If you are getting a tax refund, you may be asking yourself how to use it this year. Today I want to share six ideas for ways to use your tax refund.

Idea # 1 – Upgrade Your Electronics

It’s a fact of life that we live in a world of technology. Everywhere you look, new technology is popping up to make life easier and (in some ways) more entertaining. Even though electronics are getting less expensive, it can be hard to justify the cost sometimes. That is why my first idea is to use at least part of your tax refund to upgrade some of the electronics that you use on a daily basis.

Now just because you are using your tax refund, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to get a great deal, right? If that is what you want to do, then you should definitely check out some of the great deals on Samsung devices at Walmart like the very popular UHD TV’s and other that you can see here. The UHD TV uses 4K technology, which means that everything is 4x sharper than standard full HD! If you need a great soundbar to go with it, then you might want to check this one out while you are at it.

You can also find a variety of other Samsung products such as the Straight Talk Samsung Galaxy S7 LTE Prepaid Smartphone for $599 currently. It has all you could need and is perfect for people that need to add storage with a microSD card or if you want to try out wireless charging. There are lots of other great mobile deals at this link.

If you already have a phone that works, then maybe you would prefer a new tablet to take your entertainment with you on the go. Check out these deals here to choose the one that works for you.

Depending on how big of a refund you get, you can get one or more of these and still have money left over for the rest of these ideas!

Idea # 2 – Plan a Fun Trip

After working hard all year, sometimes a nice, relaxing vacation is just what you need. That said, vacations can be pretty expensive, so I recommend that you start looking early and try to find something that you can afford using your tax refund!

We used a portion of our tax refund a few years ago to take a great trip down to Disney World in Orlando and it was an experience that we will never forget.

If a big trip isn’t a possibility, then try to set some of your refund aside to do something different – even if that means going camping and buying a new tent and other supplies to make it even more fun! The key here is to use some of the money to get away and forget about the stress of daily life.

Idea # 3 –  Build up your Food Storage

If you feel like upgrading your electronics or going on a trip isn’t the best way for you to spend your refund, then why not use it to build up your food storage? If you watch the news on a regular basis, then you know that there is a lot of uncertainty in the world. You never know when there is going to be another disaster. If that ever does happen, you are going to want to have as much food and water to get through it.

A great way to do this is to take a portion of your tax refund and go to a warehouse store and buy as much non-perishable food as you can. There are lots of resources online with lists of food that you should store and where to get them, so make sure that you do your research first!

Idea # 4 – Update Your Appliances

We all know that is a good idea to have updated appliances that work well. We also all know that said appliances can be kind of pricey – especially when it comes to major ones like your furnace or air conditioner! That is why it may be a good idea to take your refund and put it towards one of these major appliances if yours are starting to get older. It may not be as exciting as getting something else, but having your furnace go out in the middle of the winter when you don’t have any funds set aside is even less exciting!

Idea # 5 – Improve Your Landscaping

Every year we say that we are going to work on our yard and garden and make it beautiful, and every year we fall a bit short. That isn’t too say that it doesn’t look nice at all, but there is always more work to do! If you are like us, then it might be a good idea to use some of your refund to hire a professional landscaper to come and make your yard look great. Putting it in the hands of a professional should ensure that the design is great with a little bit less effort.

Idea # 6 – Save, Save, Save

This idea may go without saying, but one of the best things to do with your tax refund is save it. You never know when you are going to have an emergency when you need money in a hurry. If you don’t have a “rainy-day” fund yet, then it may be a good idea to build that up before using whatever is left on another idea. In fact, I would say that even if you do choose one of the other five options in this post, you should try to save at least a small portion of the tax refund – you will be grateful that you did later!

These are just a few ideas for things to do with your tax refund – I am sure that there are many more and I would love to hear your ideas in the comments below!

The post Six Ways To Use Your Tax Refund appeared first on My Latina Table.