Some people view their free time at home as just a precious respite from work, the kids or other responsibilities that they may have. However, your home is the most perfect place to explore new interests and ideas.
Being broke isn’t a way of life…really it isn’t. Whether you’re paying tooth and nail for childcare, or just can’t get the pay rise you need to bring your finances up to where they need to be, you really don’t need to stay broke.
The school holidays is one of those times of year when families tend to spend more money than expected. Little trips here and there, food, arts and crafts, toys…even free activities have an associated cost.
So just how do you curb the spending – and teach the children how and why it’s important to think before splashing out? Here are some questions to ask yourself before you buy:
On paper, you should be minted, but in reality, you barely have enough money to buy teabags…if that sounds like your situation, then you really do need to hear these tips about improving cash-flow:
Getting on the property ladder can happen at any point in a person’s life. We often have a picket-fence mentality when it comes to thinking about how families grow – get married, buy a house, have children and live Stepford Wives happy ever after. Back to reality…not everyone’s plan works out that way, and getting a mortgage can come a little further down the line.
If you want to become financially independent, you need to spend less than you earn over a long period, or start your own business, or get lucky!
The way is by living below their means.
From the beginning of September 2013, the government introduced new rules enabling employers to offer contracts allow workers to trade their employment rights in return for shares.
Once you know your family’s lunch budget, you can cut your spending by meal planning.
Put pen to paper at the weekend and decide what you’ll be packing for your lunch at work and for the kids (if they take a packed lunch to school) for the coming week.
If you’ve been stung with a huge childcare bill this half term, then you’ll appreciate getting up to 70% of that money paid back to you by way of tax credits.
Many families qualify for tax credits but don’t know they should be applying or how to apply – is yours one of them?
All of us have done it, making New Year’s resolutions and promising ourselves that this will be the year that we’ll keep them for definite, only for a couple of weeks to pass and for us to find ourselves falling back into our old habits.
Make savings on your childcare costs
Going back to work after having a baby can be a hard decision. Do you go back full time or part time, will your employer let you alter your working hours to do the school run and what will you do for childcare?Â
From the beginning of September 2013, the government introduced new rules enabling employers to offer contracts allow workers to trade their employment rights in return for shares.
Selling products is often one of the first sources of income that mums who want to make extra money consider. Whether it’s selling Avon, or actually buying products in bulk to sell to friends and family, selling products is a good way to make money.
Dropshipping and buying at wholesale is an area that is often considered, too. But they can seem like a bit of a minefield if you don’t know where to look.
If you every fancied yourself as a bit of a spy then you’ll love mystery shopping.
Mystery shopper jobs are basically undercover jobs without the risks that you see in secret agent movies. It’s a popular method of market research or internal check-up within a company.
From the kids printing in full colour to you keeping your home office stocked up with the things you need to do your work, the cost of stationary can soon add up.
So, how exactly do you keep costs down, and still keep everyone happy? Here ares come tips:
The housing market has been a source of great interest over many years and that is especially true now, due to the government’s decision to move their ‘help to buy’ scheme three months ahead of schedule.
The Conservatives policy, which is designed to help first time buyers get onto the property ladder a lot quicker and for a fraction of the price, involves taking out a 95% mortgage.
Slow dripping taps may seem like nothing, but left ignored could eventually lead to bigger problems that cost more money to fix.
Here are five things your plumber doesn’t want you to know because it will cut down on how often you call him out:
Raising a family today costs parents thousands of pounds every year, but there are ways to reduce that cost if you know how.
If you could save money on childcare and the club’s and activities you enrol your children into, that money could go a long way and be used on other essentials.
Here are just three things you can do to reign back some of your hard earned money:
Whether it’s a stranded relative, your teenage child on a gap year, or a business associate in another country, we all need to make an international money transfer at some point in our lives.
Here are some things to consider if you have to make an international money transfer:
