A word very familiar to parents of small kids is wipes, from the moment the baby is born and has that anticipated and messy first poo (this also spells the end of what is considered acceptable dinner conversation) to teaching a heavily independent toddler to wipe when toilet training. You cannot leave the house without them, you add them in to weekly shop, you have them in the nappy bag, Nanny’s house, creche, the car, literally everywhere.

Wipes everywhere.

Think before you flush!! Pic Credit: Pixabay

Wipes for cleaning dirty bums, grubby faces, sticky hands, messy tables, not all the same wipe of course. This convenience item can be a God send for exhausted parents, but convenience as we know comes with a cost. There are of course many alternatives to wipes such as simply soap, water and a cloth but as Mum of 3 I certainly reach for the wipes more often than I should.

You might think what is the issue with one little wipe? Well wipes contain a small proportion of plastic which is one issue, but the other is the way people sometimes dispose of them.  Wipes seem like a wet toilet tissue, but they do not break down, even if the label states they are flushable. They are fit for purpose which is to be a strong, wet substance for cleaning, people or surfaces. In Clean Coasts we often find wipes as marine litter washed up on our beautiful beaches and it looks like they are fresh out of a packet. A wipe found on the beach may have made a journey from a toilet flush, through the sewage network,  and end up in your local lake, river, the ocean before finally being washed up by the tide. This can happen due to blockages along the wastewater network resulting in overflows to your local environment. I am not saying to ditch the wipes, ideally reduce their use but simply when you are finished using them throw them in the bin and never flush them down the toilet. 

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If your finances have taken a bit of a battering over recent months, you’re certainly not alone. Belt tightening has almost become a national pastime. One we hope won’t go on for too much longer.

On the positive side, it’s first class motivation for finally sitting down and sorting out your money: where’s it coming from, where’s it going, and how you can keep hold of it a bit longer, after all your family are your most important asset and taking good care of your finances should rank high on your list.  Running a side hustle is popular these days, and you can begin selling stuff straight away on social media, or promote a new blog. SEO experts FATJOE offers a handy introduction to running video ads on Facebook that will attract an audience and convert.

No Complicated Tech Needed

It doesn’t come much simpler than a pen and notebook. Armed with a recent bank statement (one for each of your accounts if you have more than one bank account) you can start right now getting to grips with spending and saving. Unless you’re a whizz at mental arithmetic, a calculator might come in handy too.

Of course, there’s nothing to stop you firing up the computer and opening a spreadsheet if that’s how you like getting things done. But, if you use a small notebook you can carry it around with you and jot down purchases as you make them.

Whichever method you choose, you’ll need five columns with these headers for the information they’ll contain:

1. Date: The date the transaction took place. It might be a cash or debit card purchase or a direct debit or standing order. If you run a credit card, make a separate sheet for this, then note down the repayments to that card on this main sheet that’s tallying your main bank account.
   

   Pic Credit: Pixabay

2. Item: What you bought, be it grocery shopping or coffee and cake with friends.
3. Income: Record where income came from. Salary, for example.
4. Cost: How much was it?
5. Balance: At the very top of this column, write your current bank balance from your up-to-date bank statement. Now each time you make a purchase, subtract the amount from the current balance and write the new balance in the column. When you’re recording income, add it to the balance.

You can have a new page every week or create a fresh page at the start of every month. Write your bank balance from the previous month or week at the top of your balance column to get started. Don’t forget to add direct debits or it’s easy to think your running balance is bigger than it is.

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Relationships need a great deal of nurturing to keep them healthy. Unfortunately, with life’s pressures, it can become challenging to keep up with the nurturing bit. Although 2020 recorded the lowest number of marriages in Ireland (9,523 hookups), it doesn’t change the importance of building and maintaining a positive relationship with your spouse. That said, here are a few ideas on how to do it for your consideration.

• Adjust your expectations

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Arguably, most people who fall in love tend to do so when some of their expectations are met. However, you can never fully know the person you fall in love with until you’re faced with a situation and then realise that the person doesn’t possess all the ‘specifications’ you desired. It’s why relationship experts always recommend adjusting your expectations where your spouse is concerned. The truth is, relationships change, and the two of you are no different.

Marriage is not a lifetime of the honeymoon phase, and that is the first thing you must acknowledge. You will lose some of the spontaneity you both enjoyed in the early days of your relationship. It is normal for that to happen, but the tip here is not to normalise it because it could lead to indifference and a possible breakdown of the relationship. The bond you share with your spouse is like a seed that needs careful watering to blossom into the beautiful flower you both desire.

• Acknowledge and celebrate anniversaries

Most of the time, men are the main culprits where forgotten anniversaries are concerned. For whatever reason, wives remember birthdays, anniversaries, etc., most of the time. The truth is, no matter who remembers it first, the most important thing is to make the period count. You can start by reaffirming your love for each other (no guests needed). In that case, you can exchange gifts that signify your love for each other, and the historically backed white gold emerald Claddagh ring is an excellent example for your spouse. That can become your love symbol of renewal. 

• Create rituals

What do you do when there are kids in the picture, coupled with busy work schedules on both ends? This is where you need creativity. Creating rituals in your relationship means taking deliberate steps to nurture and cement the bond. This can be in the form of a monthly date, weekend breakfast in bed, or an annual vacation for just the two of you.

A daily goodbye kiss before and after work, or a monthly couples massage, can improve intimacy and closeness. The secret about these rituals is to be deliberate about them to create or enhance stability in the home. Before you know it, both of you will begin to look forward to these rituals. Even better, you’ll both become interested in creating new rituals.

No great spousal relationship works out on its own. It takes a great deal of effort for the parties involved to remain positive and committed to each other. Hopefully, you can do the same.

Note: This is a collaborative post