Mamma Musings

Free time is a precious commodity which is rare in our hectic house.  No matter how hard I try I am really bad at making the effort to make time for myself?

If you do happen to find yourself with some free time, what should you do with it? It may have been so long since you’ve had any you have no idea. But don’t worry – read on for a little inspiration of how you can spend your free time. Or you could just dream about it instead…?

Treat your face

With the kids seemingly under control and you’ve managed to become unstuck from the oven you might even be able to take a little time and put some makeup on. You could slip on some anti-aging eye cream  or play around with some new eye shadows or even sit with a face mask on for ten minutes. Just enjoy being able to hear your own inner thoughts!

Reading

It might be a little obvious. But sometimes we forget how good it feels to pick up a book and get pulled straight back into a story. Whether it’s a fantasy novel, an old childhood favourite or a celebrity tell-tale book. There’s nothing wrong with disappearing for a couple of hours and diving head first into a book. It is one of those things that becomes a great investment in your time because it’s not just watching TV, or half-watching a film. You can purchase high quality glasses, a reading lamp, and a few first-editions to make the experience a little extra special. It’s a lovely part of getting ready for bed, when the kids are asleep and you’re not that tired yet, getting into bed and unwinding with a great book is one of those things that’s good for the soul.

Watching TV

One of the things I find really relaxing is loosing myself in a good documentary or series. I find it really helps me relax and forget what is bothering me. I recently saw Sam Haskell interviewed on his latest Netflix documentary series on Dolly Parton. It is exactly the kind of series I could wile away hours watching.

Go for a walk

Who says you have to stay cooped up indoors? You could really make a break for it and go for a walk around your favourite beauty spot, or even just around the block for some fresh air. Getting in a little cardio before you tackle that box of chocolates this evening will help you not feel as guilty.

Sleep

None of us are getting enough sleep, and the festive season can be both physically and mentally draining. So, if you get the chance try grabbing an extra forty winks and catching up on some much needed rest. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Rearrange your photos

If you have sleeves of photographs that are looking for homes, or you just haven’t gotten around to putting them into your albums yet, then why not do it now? You can even date them all and place them in chronological order. Looking back at the memories you’ve made over the year will certainly make you smile.

Listen

Why not try listening to a new audiobook? Or even a podcast on a subject your passionate about? Or how about a comedy set from your favourite comedian or just some of your favourite tunes that make you feel happy. You could even try listening to the nice, peaceful silence!

Have a bubble bath

Empty that whole bottle into the tub and have a nice long soak. You deserve it.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Not all purchases are made for consumptive reasons. Some of them are more valuable than you think because they help you save money in the long run. The real challenge is figuring out the best purchases to make so that they are the best investments for your future.

Fortunately, you can find these types of purchases in different forms, large and small. To help you start saving money right away, we are going to take a look at the purchases that will save you the most money.

A Coffee Machine

Pic Credit: Pixabay

If you love coffee and you spend a lot of money buying coffee from shops on your way to work, investing in a coffee machine is a fantastic idea, especially if you are like me and you end up spending a lot of money on take away coffees while out and about.  We invested in a good coffee machine  prior to Covid and being totally honest my bank balance is thanking me for it! By doing this, you can stop buying coffee and start making your own before you leave the house, saving you a considerable amount over time. I can totally attest to this! In fact I have used the savings wisely to make further purchases as set out below. 

A coffee machine also lets you explore your love for coffee even further. You can experiment with different blends, practice making espressos and lattes, and even get more serious with some latte art and your own coffee recipes.

A Scooter

For mums, making quick runs to the shops or other short trips is an inseparable part of our everyday activities. Unfortunately, making these runs in a car is costly. This is why a scooter makes a great investment.

Scooters are perfect for short trips, including school runs and other trips with your child. BMG Piaggio London has a selection of Vespa scooters ranging from electric ones to bigger scooters with a 300cc engine. Finding a scooter that matches your needs will not be a problem.

An Induction Stove

Induction stoves have gotten very energy-efficient over the years, making them a great investment to make right now. While you will consume a bit more electricity when you switch to an induction stove, you actually save money in the process.

Induction stoves are also getting smarter. If you leave a pan on by accident, you don’t have to worry about burns or the stove consuming electricity. Besides, induction stoves are safer when you have children in the house.

Smart Thermostat

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While we are on a subject of home appliances becoming smarter, now is also the perfect time to turn your house into a smart one with an investment in a smart thermostat. Products like Nest can help regulate the interior climate of your house while boosting energy efficiency.

While you are at it, pick up a smart home hub like Amazon Echo and Google Home. You can start converting your appliances, including the lights around the house, into smart devices that can be controlled remotely. Imagine how much you can save!

Rechargeable Batteries

Lastly, we have rechargeable batteries. If you are still buying batteries and throwing away old ones, you are missing out on a chance to save for sure. Rechargeable batteries have gotten so affordable that there is no reason not to get some.

By making these purchases, you can start saving money. No amount is too small to save; you’ll be surprised by how much you actually set aside once you start using these purchases every day.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Perception is everything. That’s true for life and true for business. If the public has a favourable view of your business, then you’ll find that it’s much easier to find success. If they don’t, then there’ll be little trust, and in general, they may be less inclined to give you their custom. The bad news is that the image of your business is something you always need to work on; you can’t take it for granted. The good news is that it’s always possible to nudge things in the right direction. We’ll take a look at some tried and tested methods for improving things below. 

Pic Credit: Pexels

Review Your Operations 

If you’re going to move in the right direction, then you need to know where you are. So the first step should be to take a look at how you’re currently working, and scrutinising which aspects of your operations are contributing to a positive image, and which are not. We often get so stuck in a specific way of doing things that we don’t always realise as quickly as we should are detrimental to our company. So take a look — what could be improved, and what should be scrapped entirely? You might just find that you can improve the image of your company just by making a couple of changes. 

Look Professional

The professionalism of a company runs deeper than the surface presentation that they portray. It’s about having all aspects of the company tight. Things like your email address, for example. If you’re using something like ‘[yourbusinessname]@yahoo.com,’ then you won’t look as professional as you would if you were using ‘contact@[yourbusinessname].com.’ Everything can be changed to look more professional. If you’re working from your home, then click here and sign up for a virtual office. That’ll give you all the benefits of having an enviable address, without the high price tag associated with actually renting it (or travelling to work there). 

Tell Your Story

Every company has a story, and it should be kept quiet (providing it’s not an evil story!). People like to know the human factor behind the business, so shout it loud. It might not be all that interesting to you, but it is unique, and people will be interested. As well as helping people to develop a connection to your business, you can also use your story as a way to build your credibility and establish your expertise. 

Solving Problems

You can’t present a positive image when everything is going well. It’s when things go wrong that your image will be tested. So take a look at how you’re currently responding to problems; could things be better? Every company in the world makes mistakes. That’s not the issue. It’s how you handle those mistakes that count.

Delivering Quality 

Finally, there’s the most important factor — delivering quality. Ultimately, there’s no hiding when it comes to the quality of your products or services. Focus on always improving, and you’ll be on the right track. 

Note: This is a collaborative post

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Working from home seems like the dream. You can get up when you want, work in your pyjamas, take as many breaks as you like and do your work in your own time. In theory, it sounds fantastic, but in practice, it is rarely as idyllic as it seems.

Although some thrive in a home-working environment, many people struggle to muster up the necessary motivation required to be sufficiently productive. When you’re not subject to the rules and deadlines of the office and the watchful eye of management, what’s there to keep you working as hard as you should be?

Whether you’re a permanent home worker, or temporarily telecommuting in light of the coronavirus pandemic, you may find it a struggle to be productive when working from home. If this sounds like you, the following tips are designed to help you work as effectively as possible, while still enjoying the freedom and flexibility that home working can offer.

Establish some rules

One of the main reasons it is so hard to work well from home is that the boundary between your home life and your work life is blurred. When you have to commute to an office, you instantly snap into work mode the minute you sit down at your desk. But when you are compiling spreadsheets from underneath your duvet, it’s a little more challenging to get into the right mindset. Make an effort to establish a workday routine. Set a scheduled time that you must wake up and start work each day, and an absolute cut off point to stop working in the afternoon. Although it may seem like an effort to put clothes on, changing out of your pyjamas will put you in the right frame of mind to get the job done.

Create the right environment

If you’re lying in bed with your laptop on your knees, it’s no wonder you can’t be productive. The quality of your work environment is crucial to your productivity, so make sure you set the scene before you start work. Sit at a desk or the kitchen table, and make sure your surface is neat and tidy. An organised workspace creates an organised mind and will enable you to think more clearly as well as find everything you need for work. Remove all distractions like phones or the TV on in the background, and if you live with other people, make sure they respect the fact that you have to work.

Talk to your employer

One of the reasons you might find it hard to work effectively from home is that your employer has not set you up to do so. Regular communication with your manager and other members of your team is likely essential, so make sure you have the tools to do so effectively. Are your communications systems up to the task? Do you need more guidance in completing your work or organising your schedule? Talk to your employer and make sure you have everything you need. If you don’t have an effective communications tool to interact with other members of the team, then you will fall at the first hurdle. You may need to suggest to your boss that they invest in a better system. Many companies, such as Unified Communications Provider Gamma, offer solutions to improve the communications processes within various businesses. This may be just what your company needs.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Pic Credit: Pixabay

We have always loved travelling and had so many plans for 2020 however earlier this year the world has been turned on its head.  No one of us could have foreseen a global pandemic of this magnitude.  I am consoled by the fact we are all facing this together and doing our best to get through it.   I am however living for the day when we get to travel again. I really cannot wait.  That feeling of going through the airport is something kind of magical – the excitement amongst our kids is so evident.  What I thought I would do is set out some of the ways in which we save for our holidays. We travel a lot and the only way we can do that is careful saving, budgeting and deal shopping.

Deals, Deals, Deals

The Queen of the deal…that is me! I do really love a good bargain. I sign up for all the airline newsletters so I can be the first to hear about deals, sales etc. I also make use of Sky Scanner alerts to keep track of flight prices. I make use of sites like Groupon to search for deals on meals and attractions in the country or city im going to.  I have had lots of success with this all over the world.

Neon Funding – financial tips

Pic Credit: Pixabay

One of the things I always do is keep a loose change jar and cash it in just before we head away. I have been pleasantly surprised many times on how much I have had heading away for example a recent trip to Toronto the money jar had the equivalent of almost CAD$300. I really didn’t expect it to be that much, I was thrilled.

I know this sounds simple and but it is a lot easier said than done. Budget your total requirements for the trip including spending money and start putting a small bit away each month or week whichever suits. It can be so easy to get tempted by high interest credit cards but try to avoid them they are so costly in the long run. If you do find yourself in a position with some high interest debt do look at companies like Neon Funding  can help with this.  One thing I vow to myself is to try not to get into debt for a holiday as it can be so hard paying it back when the holiday is long over.

Practical tips

Some practical tips to conclude:

• Consider travel insurance and look at the small print
• Be aware of the cancellation policies on the booking you just never know
• Look at what your mobile phone providers date usage policy is – I have heard of people coming back from holidays to massive bills as they hadn’t checked their providers policy on roaming.
• It heading to far flung remote destinations factor in the cost of any jabs you might need. These can actually be quite expensive so do some research on it.

Note: This is a collaborative post

How far should you go when fixing up your home? Should you just get the basics done and leave it at that? Or should you take a more long-term approach and try to add as much value to your home as possible? These are questions most homeowners ask themselves, and there are arguments to be made for each of the options open to you. Or you could you turn it on its head and move home!

There is Always Room for Improvement

The fact of the matter is, there’s always room for improvement. No matter how great your home is, there will always be things that you can or even will want to improve. This can be a good thing and a bad thing, though. On the one hand, it means that there will always be new ways in which you can add value to your home and make it more appealing to future buyers. On the other hand, it might mean that you keep doing more and more, and the task eventually overwhelms you. You don’t want to spend all your time and money on home upgrades.

Your Home Should be Unique to You

On a basic level, you want your home to be unique to you. No one wants to live in a dull drab home that they don’t feel suits them and their personal preferences. And that’s the main reason why people spend money on improving their home. If this is the mentality that you’re bringing to the table, you will probably not be thinking about the value that can be added to the home or what future buyers might want. This applies to the vast majority of people who fix up their homes and make changes.

However, a Unique Style Might Put Off Future Buyers

On the other hand, making your home unique to you can be risky. When you create a home design that is specific to your own preferences, you could put off other people. You might be wondering why this matters. You don’t want to sell your home, so why does it matter what other people think of it? Well, you might not want to sell your home now, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t want to at some point in the future. When that time comes, you don’t want people to be put off by design choices that are a little out of the box.

It’s Going to Cost You Money

If you want to make changes to your home, you’re going to have to spend money on it. This is just the way it is, and you should try to make sure that you improve your home in an affordable way. Remember, if you can make positive changes, the value of the home will rise. But it may be worth considering if moving house would give you the requirements at a lower cost.  People are often surprised that the cost of moving can often be cheaper than undertaking major renovation work. One thing you could do is take a real estate education course. Doing a course like this from for example AstroFlipping can pay off hugely in the long run. By educating yourself in the area of real estate you can really make a very good long term investment. 

But Your Investment Might Pay Off

The investment you make in your home might pay off if you make the right decisions and do the right things. This will help you to get the most from your home when it comes to selling because you will have made the most of your asset. You should definitely try to make sure that the upgrades you make to the home are all things that add overall value to your property. Not all changes you can make allow that, but many do. Think about what matters to real estate agents and buyers.

Note: This is a collaborative post

The current normal if you could even call it that is almost surreal. If you told me this time last year in a years time I would be working from home full time, home schooling my kids as the schools are closed and delivering my lectures all online. I probably would have either laughed or fainted or both. Covid has turned the world as we know it upside down. We have had to quickly adapt to this new world and to be honest I have to hand it to my kids they are the unsung heroes of the moment. Not a moan or groan. They are getting on with life and homeschooling. Not every day is full of enthusiasm for it but we are all doing the very best with it.

I thought it might be handy to compile our favourite home school resources and share them in a post as they have proved invaluable for us in helping our kids continue with their learning in these strange times. Back in 2018 we did a huge renovation and I insisted on a home office which was fully kitted out including a HP Deskjet 3720 printer which may have been little used up to now but not lately!! It is quite literally in every day use. One of the things I will say is bookmark a link to your reputable ink cartridge site like Cartridge Save trust me you will thank me later.  Ink has been a very much used and loved commodity in this house.  We buy the HP Ink cartridges and on average get around 300 pages per cartridge. My printer has a double sided print function which we use all the time. Its very handy to to save on paper.

Our current favourites are below, but if you do know more leave them in the comments below and I can add them later:

Twinkl

I cannot speak highly enough of this resource. We use it every day and it is suitable for the whole school ranging from pre school upwards covering the entire spectrum of  subjects.  There are many options from printable’s to power points on certain topics. There has also been themed resources such as Easter or summer packs which cover a range of activities from colouring sheets, to word searches to quizzes. I would literally be lost without it.

The Gruffalo

My little man loves the Julia Donaldson books, I think I can quote many of her books off by heart at this stage.  Particular favourites are The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child.  The above link is a treasure trove of themed material so if you have a fan in your house this is a fantastic resource for printing themed worksheets. We have downloaded The Gruffalos 20th Anniversary worksheets to work on this week.

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When people use the term “getting your financial affairs in order” it is often thought what is meant is sorting your affairs in older age or a palliative care situation but its so much more than that and people need to be thinking of it as an ongoing thing not just a one off.  This is something that comes up often and over the years of financial services experience I have gleaned some tips in this area.

General tips

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This is going to sound like I am stating the obvious but keeping your documents such as policy documents, insurance details, mortgage and loan contracts all in an easily accessible place kept together is very important.  There is nothing worse than in a total panic trying to locate a policy documents or mortgage contract or statement. Its no harm to tell somebody you trust too as you just never know the circumstances you might need to locate them in a panic and it such circumstances remaining calm can be challenging.

Perhaps its the accountant in me but I do love lists and spreadsheets! I can’t stress enough how beneficial it is to know how much a typical month or week costs in your household. For example knowing the nice to haves versus the essentials. This really helps with planning.

Another thing I often do is keep a note of when my utility contract renewal dates are.  I do spend time researching to see if there is a good deal out there for example by switching provider or by signing up again getting a loyalty discount. I have been known to haggle too! With mixed success im afraid.

Cobalt Advisors

It is always important to seek the help of experts. They are experts for a reason, they have spent likely years learning their trade and can provide more advice and guidance than google ever could!  One thing that comes up time and time again is to be careful of high interest debt.  This type of debt can generally be accessed easily but the problem being it is often very costly as a result.  The general consensus is to pay off your  high interest bearing debts first, this is highlighted too by investor.gov. By removing your most expensive forms of debt it will pay off in the long run. Companies such as Cobalt Advisors  have dedicated phone lines where you can seek advice and assistance.

The importance of taking control and maintaining control of your financial affairs can’t be stressed enough. It will enable you to have such peace of mind.  Its not always easy and it can be hard not to get stressed in the face of mounting debts however taking a deep breath and taking time to seek expert advice and guidance will certainly help.  There tends not to be a quick fix when it comes to finances but patience yields rewards and in the long run you will be happy you did it.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Its a very strange times we are slowly getting accustomed to. Life doesn’t feel like it will be the same for a very long time. The kids miss their friends, their sports and giving their grandparents a hug. In the wider economy things have changed too, unemployment is so high, many businesses have changed/ adapted or closed altogether. People are feeling it financially, it bound to impact. However, it is also import to thing long term. As tempting as it may be to opt for high interest credit cards to fund short term cash issue, it is important to consider the impact of this. According to debt.org the average  credit card holder in the USA has at least four cards. On average, each household with a credit card carries $8,398 in credit card debt. Total U.S. consumer debt is at $13.86 trillion.

These figures are staggering and in times like this is is so important to be cognisant of the future impact of it. In the event they you have found yourself in a situation where you are serving high interest debt I have compiled some tips to assist you in addressing this.

• I think at the outset you need to consider seeking the advice of a professional using an company such as Saxton Associates
• If you have savings in cash consider using some of this cash to pay off the debt
• Consider if switching cards could help. Some providers often run offers such as zero interest on transfers for a period of a number of months
• Budgeting – I know lots of people hate the idea of sitting down to analyze their spending but it does work. Small changes can have a very big impact. For example buying generic branded products, taking your lunch to work
  

  Pic Credit: Pixabay

• What I do each year is keep a list of all my utility providers and when each years contract is up I ring around to get the best deal. Some have discount for ebills, other for lesser usage etc. Do your homework it can really pay dividends over the space of a couple of months
• Plan, plan and plan some more. For example if its a holiday or a new car you are aiming for. Work out how much you  would need to save each month to achieve that goal. I know a lot of people have laughed at me when I suggest the money jar! I love this and make great use out of it. We put all our loose change in it and then prior to our holiday cash it in. We have had some lovely surprises over the years when it was counted and much more was in it than we anticipated.

Knowing the above re the average credit card debt. I was interested to see what the flip side of this was like. I saw a cnbc.com survey on this from 2018 which suggestions that the median amount of saving that the average American household has is in the region of $11,000. The thing about stat’s is that that they can hide a multitude. In fact millions of households could save little of nothing while at the opposite side of the spectrum the rich and famous may be saving plenty.

The important thing is not to neglect your financial health.

Note: This is a collaborative post

What to Consider when Starting from Home

You have a business idea and now want to move it online. However, you may be unsure as to how to successfully navigate onto the internet and where to turn to.

Let us take a look at where to start, where to aim for and where the best help is to successfully achieve your online presence.

Planning Ahead

Planning a document to translate your business to potential clients is a good start to successfully building a language for your client. Within this, you will be able to section your website plans and not have everything all muddled together.

Remembering that your clients will be looking at your website for an understanding of your business and service will serve you in adequately breaking down the language of how to speak to them. Have a third party look over how you are communicating and offer feedback on understanding aspects of it. 

Identifying a Free Domain

Utilizing sites such as Wix or GoDaddy, you need to check if the domain and URL are available for your ideal company trading identity. 

Suffixes such as .com, .co.uk and .net are options for registration, but if you find that all of them are available it is worth spending a little extra to register all domains to prevent identity mixups with anyone looking to register similar entities online.

Identify a Good Web Host Service

To make your website accessible on the internet you will need to find a suitable provider. Fasthosts and Wix among others offer a cost effective service, but you need to be sure whoever’s package you choose is suitable for your business.

Look into reviews on how each is rated on security, response and speed. How a provider responds to downtime in your website is of prime importance to make sure you don’t lose business during any loss of data.

Hiring a Developer

Being a business owner you may want to limit your time and effort on your websites design and maintenance. For those wanting to put their focus on the business side they can hire an external web development firm to handle all aspects from the beginning.

There are many benefits to having your website developed for you, including web hosting provided and programming to ensure you have the website looking and operating how you want it to. The cost of a web developer or web development agency  can be weighed against the time you take from your business to concentrate on building and maintaining the site, so it is worth paying for a respected and reliable developer.

Other options are to build your own website from the many free options currently on the internet. However, these options do not necessarily offer many areas for customization and some only offer limited pages. 

Figuring How to Trade Through your Site

The aim of your website can fall into two different areas when looking to use the space to sell products.

Shopping cart software is generally used to add to existing websites as an extra, whereas an ecommerce platform lets you build an online store from the ground up as a main focus.

Shopify is an established brand for ecommerce to get you up and running quickly, whilst others like Opencart offer full customization. Reviews and ratings for features and interaction with the software should be researched before committing to an option. Look into how clients have had experience with using the software.

Be Sure Before Being Live

Presentation is everything and, no matter if your site has been built externally or in house, you need to approve of every aspect before publishing to the internet.

Spelling and formatting of each page should be checked, as well as speed and engagement between pages. Test the website and allow for a third party to play with the functionalities to ensure it moves and feels right.

If you are happy then publish it and prepare to introduce the world to your new identity.

Showcase to Everyone

Having the website is not enough to draw a crowd. Now is the time to let everyone know you have one.

The easiest way is to market on your social media pages like Facebook and Twitter through business group posts and business pages. Make sure that your new URL is present on any marketing materials and business cards. 

Traffic to your website needs to be generated through marketing and other options to consider is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) which is another service responsive web design companies can provide, such as experts in Stockport Website Development firms have perfected for their clients in Google search results.

Now you have a new website and tools to move successfully into online trading. There are many options to consider and many extra areas you can look into to strengthen your business going forward.

Note: This is a collaborative post