Blog - Robby Oakes Mortgage

Juneteenth: Celebrating the End of Slavery

June 18, 2012 by Robby Oakes

What are your plans to celebrate Juneteenth this year?

If you haven’t heard of this holiday before, Juneteenth is celebrated on the 19th of June and it is the oldest recorded celebration to commemorate when slavery came to an end in the USA.

It was established in 1865 when the Union Soldiers arrived at Galveston, Texas and Major General Gordon Granger announced that those who were enslaved were now free.

This festival is held every year, especially in the Southern states of America, to celebrate the emancipation of the slaves.

In early years due to deeply ingrained racism the holiday was banned from being publicly celebrated, however the Civil Rights Movement brought with it a resurgence of Juneteenth celebrations and in 1980 it became an official state holiday.

School’s Out for Summer: How to Encourage Your Kids to Learn Over the Holidays

June 15, 2012 by Robby Oakes

Summer vacation is finally here and your kids have permanently implanted themselves in the couch, eyes glued to the television, with no sign of moving for the next three months.

When kids do absolutely nothing over the holidays, they not only forget what they have learned in school but they get out of the habit of learning and find it difficult to start their schoolwork again in the fall.

Tips for Celebrating Flag Day This June 14th

June 13, 2012 by Robby Oakes

The Star Spangled Banner. Old Glory. Big Red White and Blue. Stars and Stripes.

The American flag has a lot of nicknames and plenty of history behind it and in June millions of Americans will celebrate Flag Day by waving these thirteen stars and stripes outside of their houses and businesses.

In the USA, Flag Day is celebrated on the 14th of June every year. This was the date that the flag of the United States was adopted.

In fact, the week surrounding June the 14th is known as “National Flag Week” and during this week the President will issue a proclamation which encourages Americans to fly a flag outside of their homes throughout the week.

All government buildings in the country will also display the flag during this special week of the year.

Common Credit Card Myths Debunked

June 11, 2012 by Robby Oakes

Although credit cards have been used since the 1960s, there are several untrue myths which still persist about them in society.

Understanding the truth behind these common myths will help you to use your credit card more effectively.

Clever Ways to Cut Your Food Bill Down

June 7, 2012 by Robby Oakes

When it comes to saving money, there are a few things that you can’t cut back on too much because you need them to survive, such as clothing, shelter and food.

You can take the bus to work and not buy a big screen TV, but you will not live very long if you don’t eat!

However, buying food doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might think.

If you wince in horror everything you take out your wallet at the supermarket, there are many ways that you can cut down your food bill while still eating healthy and tasty meals.

Show Your Love for the Earth on World Environment Day

June 5, 2012 by Robby Oakes

World Environment Day was created to raise awareness of environmental concerns and enhance political and public action.

It is held every year on June 5th and it is intended to be the most widely celebrated international event for positive environmental action.

The health of the environmental is crucial to our existence and we have the responsibility to make sure that our actions are sustainable and environmentally conscious.

This annual event provides an opportunity to get the conversation started about important environmental issues.

Celebrating Great Outdoors Month This June

June 3, 2012 by Robby Oakes

From sandy beaches to dense forests to towering mountains to arid deserts, the United States has a lot of diverse and beautiful outdoors to discover.

President Obama has declared that June is Great Outdoors Month and this month is a fantastic opportunity to explore the fresh air and the natural beauty that can be found in your own backyard.

There is so much to see and do just outside your door and as the summer sun starts to warm the air you can spend many fun days in the great outdoors.

Here are some ideas of how you and your family can celebrate great outdoors month:

How to Still Be Social Even When You Are Saving

May 31, 2012 by Robby Oakes

Many people have the idea that being frugal and saving your money means that you have to lead a boring life of sitting at home making budgets, counting pennies and staring at the wall.

However, this is absolutely not true. If you are saving for a financial goal or to pay off debt it doesn’t mean that you need to cut out your social life completely!

Although going out for drinks, meals and shopping with your friends is very expensive, there are other ways to spend time with the people you love without needing to splurge.

What Does Memorial Day Mean?

May 28, 2012 by Robby Oakes

Memorial Day falls on the last Monday in May every year and for most people it means that they will be able to enjoy a long weekend away from school or work and probably take a trip out of town.

However, Memorial Day means a lot more than just a holiday.

This day has special historical significance and it is important to know where the origins of Memorial Day come from.

How to Not Become a Slave to Notifications

May 25, 2012 by Robby Oakes

Sometimes with all of the buzzing, dinging, ringing, and beeping of all the separate devices in your life you can feel like you are living within a video arcade with hundreds of overactive pinball machines.

Your phone jingles whenever you get a text message, your laptop dings when a new email arrives, and your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media websites also join in the buzzing chaos.

We have gotten in the habit of checking these notifications every few minutes, no matter if they are important or not.

It can be incredibly difficult to focus when you are constantly being distracted by a host of jangling devices, so how can you manage your notifications so that they don’t interrupt your work flow?

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