MSNBC posted such an interesting article about the recent tornadoes in Hugo, Minn. and I just had to write about it here.

Tornadoes are notorious for causing mass destruction often obliterating everything in its path but often some items go untouched:

As residents in Hugo begin to move on from last week’s tornado, some say they noticed a few bizarre things amid all the damage. Jason Akins said the twister unwound a roll of toilet paper in his bathroom — draped it across the countertop, then rewound it in the sink. The toilet paper didn’t even rip.

“All I could say was, ‘You have got to be kidding me,’” Akins recalled.

He also said that winds overturned sofas and ripped away his roof, but dishes of cat food and water were untouched. The cat food was actually still in the bowl. [MSNBC]

While researchers and meteorologists do everything they can in their power to learn more about severe weather, it just goes to show that tornadoes and other forces of nature are still hard to explain.

So what can we do to deal or prepare for something unexpected? Here are a few suggestions from disaster survivors:

1. Do a home inventory. While this may not protect you from the storm, it will protect your assets and help you as you file an insurance claim after a huge disaster. Learn how to get started…

2. Make a home emergency preparedness kit. This is a project you can easily tackle in an afternoon. Print out this PDF list and head to the store to buy the items you’ll need.

3. Make an emergency plan.

• Know where your public shelters are
• Know the evacuation routes or map out your own route
• Learn about the emergency plans for your work and your children’s schools
• Create a emergency exit plan for your home

4. Learn about your own home’s vulnerability. Live in a flood-prone area? Or live near Tornado Alley? Make a list of the likely scenarios that could happen in your area then head to our Natural Disasters section and choose a topic (hurricane, flood, tornado, earthquake, blizzard, thunderstorms) to learn more on getting prepared.

Have an odd severe weather story? We’d love to hear it! Share your story in the Comments section below!!

In honor of National Weddings Month, Keith Ross, Regional Director at Roni Deutch Tax Center, has written up these top tax tips for newlyweds or soon-to-be married couples:

“For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, and most of all, to lower our taxes.” Yes, that is correct: getting married and filing jointly can perhaps lower your taxes.

1. Filing jointly.

Being married allows you to file “Married filing jointly”, and this alone, can lower your taxes paid to the IRS each year. Once your combined adjusted gross income reaches above $7850, you may be able start saving on taxes. Although there is not a lot of savings, but every little bit helps.

2. Filing separately.

Filing separately may seem to be the solution when one party is normally accustomed to a tax refund and the other party pays into their taxes at the end of each year but the filing status “Married Filing Separately” could have its downfall, too.

For instance, you will not get to utilize certain credits filing this way, such as “Earned Income Credit or Education Credits” and if there are children to report on your return you are giving up on other credits, such as “Child Dependant Care Credit.” So consult with a tax professional before making your filing status choice. A lot can change, in regards to your tax matter, when tying the knot.

3. Name change.

When you are accepting the last name of your spouse, it is important to inform the Social Security Administration of your name change, prior to using your new last name on your future tax returns. (you’ll need to complete and file form SS-5). By not submitting a SS-5 to Social Security, this may cause a processing delay in your tax return.

4. Taxes withheld.

You may also want to make proper changes to your Employee Withholding Allowance Certificate (W-4). Making the Change from “Single” to” Married” means having less federal tax withheld. This again may require consulting with your tax professional or the payroll department of your employer.

• Want more? Other marriage legalities and benefits…

Thanks to Keith Ross! Have an administrative marriage tip? Share below!

I’m in the planning stages of a 1400 mile road trip from Minneapolis to Boston. It’s my first road trip since the good ol’ family vacation days so I’m very excited to break out the road atlas and get started!

Here’s our pre-road trip checklist:

1. Schedule a car tune-up. The chosen car for the journey is in impeccable condition but it needs all of the fluids checked and the oil changed before we go.

2. Map out the route and the pit stops along the way. Don’t forget to pencil in fueling stops and other important landmarks to stop and see. Here are some helpful resources I discovered while browsing online:

• AAA Triptik - great for handy travel guides
• National Register of Historic Places - I’ve found a few historic sites I’d love to visit, if there’s time!
• Plan for speed bumps and detours - National Traffic and Road Closure Information
• Take the road less traveled - America’s Scenic Byways

3. Make a packing checklist. Along with the obvious things like clothes, IDs, credit cards and the camera, we’ll also need to pack a few road trip needs:

• Audiobooks
• Car emergency kit
• Change for tolls (calculate your toll cost [for-profit site]- looks like we’ll be paying over $40 for tolls - that’s a lot of change!)
• Cellphone and car charger
• Cooler filled with water and snacks to fill the gap between stops
• GPS
• Maps and road atlas
• Roadside assistance membership card and emergency contact number
• Sunglasses (make it easier on your eyes as you drive)

4. Other helpful resources we plan to print out and use:

• Get Better Gas Mileage - 11 top tips from drivers and mechanics
• Road Trip Travel - Get Ready!
• Links and Resources - top resources to help you plan your trip

Am I forgetting something? How do you plan for a road trip? Share in the Comments below!

The high gas prices are also linked to rising gas thefts. More and more people are driving without paying after filling up or are resorting to siphoning and punching holes in gas tanks to get to gas.

So what can you do? Some suggested tips:

1. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge.

2. Filling up at the pump? Stay with your car while you fill up. Have to run inside to grab something? Lock up your car and close and lock your gas tank flap.

3. Park your car in your garage (if you have one) and be sure to lock the entry doors and windows.

4. Can’t park in a garage? Park in a well-lit area and park with the gas flap facing the curb.

5. Gas thieves target more than cars - keep an eye on your lawnmower and extra gas cans.

6. If you do suspect a gas theft, be sure to call the police immediately. Be safe, be smart!

Our local CBS TV station WCCO has been busy covering the aftermath of this weekend’s tornadoes in Hugo, MN, and for last night’s Good Question feature segment, reporter Jason DeRusha asked the tough question: Are You Ready for a Disaster?

Our publisher, Susan Evans, was interviewed for the segment and she offered some great home inventory tips: see the video here.

Thanks to Jason DeRusha and all of the team at WCCO!

By Steven W., our family blogger

Cruising can be an ideal way to travel with young children due to the many onship activities and programs for your children, and due to the convenience of your cabin and the dining room when returning from a day long excursion.

We enjoyed a 15 day Hawaiian cruise aboard the Diamond Princess last November with our 1 year old and 4 year old. Here are some unique travel tips we learned that other families may find useful:

1) Get online early

On the first day that online access is available for your cruise, sign up for the children’s program (”Princess Pelicans” for our cruiseline), Reserve shore excursions, and make spa appointments. If you wait just a day or two later, the prime times will be booked already.

2) Create a master calendar

Write down dinner reservations, shore arrival/departure times, spa appointments, excursion info, and any special event times you don’t want to miss. There is so much to see and do during the cruise, that a master calendar really helps you get the most out of your vacation.

3) Pack a wristwatch for each adult

You may think that you won’t need to know what time it is during your cruise, but you will. There are few if any clocks on board, not even in your cabin. We had to turn on the television to see the time. Cell phones could be useful, but they should be off. A waterproof watch is useful both for the spa and the beach.

4) Pose for pictures every night before or after dinner

Unlike most professional photographers, there is no sitting fee charged for the photographers aboard the ship (depends on the ship). So, gather up your family and pose for pictures every night before or after dinner. You won’t have to pay or buy anything, and who knows, one of the photos may turn out great!

Bring your own USB memory key to get digital copies of your photos. And wait until the end of the cruise then buy several photos in a package deal.

5) Eat dinner at the same table every night

This may sound boring, but if you want to enjoy your dinner, it is best to find a good waitstaff, and then stick with them for the duration of the cruise. Your child’s needs (highchair, milk before you order, extra alphabet soup) will be met quickly as the waitstaff gets to know your family, leaving you with more time to relax and enjoy your meal.

One more tip: pack a goodie bag of inexpensive little toys for each child for each night in the dining room. This will keep the kids entertained while waiting for the adults to order and the food to arrive.

6) Rent a mini-van (with a carseat) for excursions

On most, if not all, of the Hawaiian islands, I would recommend renting a minivan.
We did this at Hilo and Kauai, and it worked out great. You can go at your own pace, see the sights you want to, and stop whenever the kids need a meal break or potty stop.

Every island stop had rental car shuttles to take you to the airport to get your vehicle. Plan on spending an hour to get the car and an hour to return the car, reducing your time by two hours. But it is well worth it for the flexibility it gives your family, and much less expensive than the organized excursions.

7) Use the porter

When traveling with kids, a porter is a necessity, not a luxury. Don’t try to save $20 by unloading and loading your luggage yourself. They help with luggage during arrival and departure. Tip generously upon arrival and you may find your luggage gets to your room before you do.

Happy cruising, and let us know if any of these tips helped you! Email us your tips!!

Related Articles:

• Plan and Book Your Cruise
• Day of Launch
• What to Do About Motion Sickness, Theft and Other Aboard Mishaps

It’s National Hurricane Preparedness Week and we’ve pulled together the best of the best advice from experts and readers to help you get ready (it’s helpful for all disasters not just hurricanes)!

The most amazing pieces of advice came from Dean Trevelino, who survived Hurricane Ivan and Jeanne. Here’s his story:

My wife, son (who was four at the time) and I were in our home in Atlanta, a mid-century modern, one-level classic modern ranch, written up in Atlanta in the 50s as the first all plywood home in the city … sensible modern they called it. Hurricane Ivan was the fourth in a series of hurricanes that year that ultimately raised the levels of the creeks so high that the neighboring creek rose and consumed our entire property.

We were in the home when the water rose around us. Within minutes our pool was lost to muddy, sewage-ridden black water; then it was in the home and rising quickly. I can still see my son on the bed as the water rose around him. I grabbed my son, wife and laptops, opened the front door to what appeared to be a rush of the nastiest water we had ever seen, making its way into our perfectly white modern home.

We left two cars in the garage including a 57 Speedster. I took my family to a nearby hotel and came back to try to salvage the cars. By that time, the home was completely engulfed by three feet and eventually four feet of water. The fire department would not let us in to retrieve anything.

Keep reading and learned how Dean recovered from the storm…

Related Articles 

• Hurricane Hazards
• Creating a Safe Room
• Hurricane - Get Prepared

I spend most of my week at work so chances are I’d be more likely to experience a disaster or emergency here than anywhere else!From severe storms to power outages, a number of things could happen while on the job. Here’s how you can get ready:

1. Review your company’s evacuation policies and emergency exit routes.

2. Find a backpack or something small to keep under your desk that you can grab in a hurry.

3. Add top survival items to the kit - flashlight, food, water, etc. (for a recommended list click here).

Want more? Top work preparedness advice from experts…

Already have a work “to-go” kit? What do you have in it? Share in the Comments section below!

Lifelock CEO, Todd Davis, after two years of encouraging people to steal his identity in anyway shape or form got exactly what he asked for: a man used Davis’ SSN to receive money from an online payday loan service.

He claims his service, LifeLock, still works - after all, there were 87 previous attempts by others trying to use Davis’ SSN. Others disagree and are suing Davis for false advertising and practices.

The lesson learned here? No one’s identity is safe from theft, not even the identity of a CEO of an identity theft prevention service. So is there still hope for the rest of us? I’d like to think so!

Learn how to spot and prevent identity theft with these top articles and tips from safety experts:

• Passwords: Make’em Hacker Safe
• Watch Out for Online Scams: What to Look For
• Kids Can Become ID Theft Victims, Too!!
• Credit Reports: How to Order One and What You’ll Get…
• Detecting ID Theft
• Prevent ID Theft

Experienced identity theft? Share your story below! 

Memorial Day weekend is unofficially the “kick-off” weekend for summer. Summer means hot weather, cool nights, barbeques, baseball, road trips, poolside vacations and summer camp.

What’s your favorite summer activity? Get ready for the summer ahead with these top articles and tips:

• On the Road: Top 6 Biking Tips
• The Long, Hot Summer: Resources for Camp, Child Care and Family Travel
• Top Ten Summer Travel Tips

Speaking of fun summer activities, we’re looking to launch our new section on Motorcycles sometime next week!

Have a motorcycle tip or story? We’d love to hear it! Post it in the Comments section below or email us!