How to plan an effective marketing strategy
Posted inHow to promote your business

How to plan an effective marketing strategy

With the cost of getting business equipment, insurance and paying for professional help, marketing is often seen as a nice to have rather an a must. But it shouldn’t be given lip service – businesses that succeed know it’s value and aim to give it as much of a priority as it deserves.

In this video you’ll learn the benefits of creating an effective marketing strategy, looking at mailshots, networking, leaflets and flyers, trade shows and exhibitions and more.

How to stop young children making costly in-app purchases on your mobile phone or tablet
Posted inFamily life Parenting tips

How to stop young children making costly in-app purchases on your mobile phone or tablet

This year, mobile app revenues are set to make in excess of £20bn, according to research firm Garner. Is that money being contributed to by in-app purchases your child is making without your awareness?

Why is it happening?
It may seem strange that a four or five year old child can amass a small fortune worth of purchases when they don’t have the email password  or understanding about buying on your tablet. And this is precisely why the Office of Fair Trading investigated the issue for five months, investigating 38 games.

How to make your childcare and activities for the kids cost less
Posted inChildren & Relationships Family life Money - how to keep it and how to make it Parenting tips

How to make your childcare and activities for the kids cost less

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:

Urghh! Monday morning blues?Here are three tips to make it better next week
Posted inCareers Coach Blog Children & Relationships Family life

Urghh! Monday morning blues?Here are three tips to make it better next week

After the weekends slumber it can be hard to drag yourself out of bed attend crack of dawn on Monday mornings. And if your children are typical, they’ve likely had birthday parties or had some sort of extra class(es) that have required you to ferry them around.

By the time Sunday night comes, the weekend seems so far away, and feels like you didn’t get the rest and chillax time you promised yourself during the week.

Sound all-too familiar? Well, no one said being a working mum would be easy, but here are three steps to help you achieve that all-important Monday morning balance:

Posted inChildren & Relationships technology reviews

Product review: tech and craft gadgets

We all need something that will make life just that little bit easier and more efficient…and/or save as time and money to boot.

We’re not promising all that with today’s tech and craft reviews, but there’s something for everyone – you, the children or someone else’s stocking filler.

How to make skiing work as an activity holiday for your family
Posted inChildren & Relationships Family life Things to do with the kids

How to make skiing work as an activity holiday for your family

It doesn’t seem that long ago since the school summer holidays, but it’s still not too early to start looking at holiday deals for the family.

If you’re looking for an activity break, there are some limitations to what you can do, but skiing can be a great way to stay fit and active, and children as young as three can take to the slopes.

Here are some tips on preparing for a skiing holiday:

How to make international payments online
Posted inA mix Money - how to keep it and how to make it

How to make international payments online

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:

How to child proof your home
Posted inFamily life Parenting tips

How to child proof your home

If you’re expecting a child soon, you will probably be thinking of making your home child friendly.

A child friendly home is a safe home for your child and a home with more freedom for your child.

Three home office must-haves
Posted inA mix Starting and running your business

Three home office must-haves

Are you about to start working from home, or start a home-based business and don’t know what items you need to purchase to help you be as effective as possible in your new work environment?

Here are some must-haves that every home office should have:

How to compile competitive intelligence when starting a business
Posted inStarting and running your business

How to compile competitive intelligence when starting a business

Are you all set to embark on a new business, be it online or something more traditional? If so, good for you. However, before you take the plunge, take a little time to step back and make sure you’ve really done your homework on your industry and competitors.

Five free to low-cost advertising ideas for small businesses
Posted inBusiness tutorials How to promote your business

Five free to low-cost advertising ideas for small businesses

Advertising is key to a company’s success, particularly in the beginning when no one knows of its existence, but the cost of advertising can put small businesses off.
But there are many ways to advertise your business without going bust! Find out how:

Posted inChildren & Relationships Money - how to keep it and how to make it

How to cope with post-holiday credit card bills

School summer holidays are arguably one of the most expensive times of the year where spending is concerned, and if you’ve gone a little overboard. Your credit card spending and are panicking about how to cope, here are some tips to help you:

Thinking about doing a course but can’t afford to pay for childcare? Read this…
Posted inBusiness building Money - how to keep it and how to make it

Thinking about doing a course but can’t afford to pay for childcare? Read this…

Now that children are back in school and settled in the first term of the year, may mums find they have a lot of time to work or study. If that sounds like you, but you’re struggling to pool together the money to pay for childcare so you can take a course, you could be eligible for grants or funding through a bursary.

How to make extra money while on maternity leave
Posted inFamily life Money - how to keep it and how to make it Mothers' rights at work

How to make extra money while on maternity leave

The average cost of a new baby is £5,464 in the first year of their child’s life – increasing by four per cent to £5,666 for those living in London.

It’s obviously excludes the cost of living, and any childcare required to raise the child, so it’s easy to see how money can be tight for new mums in maternity leave.

How to write an invoice
Posted inFamily life

How to teach children about money

Now that the schools are open again,and the pressure of having keep children suitably entertained (with expensive activities and gadgets) has wained, it’s probably a good time start teaching the value of money.

We think this video from Money Supermarket is fantastic, and shows you how you can encourage children to be more appreciative and responsible with money:

Foodie Friday: the Diet Chef Review
Posted inFoodie Fridays

Foodie Friday: the Diet Chef Review

Working mums have enough to juggle and trying to cook separate meals for a healthier diet in a bid to lose weight, can take its toll on time and money.

That’s why we jumped at the chance to review Diet Chef, as it seemed to kill both of those birds with one stone – delivering all meals and snacks straight to our doorstep.

Posted inMoney - how to keep it and how to make it

Desperate for cash? Is there a responsible way to take out a payday loan?

Payday loans have received a lot of bad press recently. But for many families struggling to make ends meet, when a big bill hits the doormat, or the car breaks down and costs a bomb to fix, there really aren’t many other options.

How your child can avoid identity theft while away at university
Posted inFoodie Fridays Money - how to keep it and how to make it

How your child can avoid identity theft while away at university

Going away to university can have a mix of feelings for you and your child alike – they are fleeing the nest (maybe permanently now they have a taste for it). For them, it may be a welcome chance to break free into independence and with it, some mistakes along the way.

Here are some tips to help them avoid identity theft (some you can apply to yourself, too):

Women ‘more likely to worry about their finances’
Posted inMoney - how to keep it and how to make it

Women ‘more likely to worry about their finances’

Worrying about finances is never a good thing, but worrying about whether or not you’ll be able to afford essential bills like your utilities or even food shopping is even worse, especially if you have little mouths to feed and look after.

It’s not too late to take a staycation break! Here’s how
Posted inFamily life Things to do with the kids

It’s not too late to take a staycation break! Here’s how

When you spend your time juggling between looking after the kids and working for a living, it can almost feel like too much effort to organise a holiday on top of everything else – no matter how much you love getting away from it all.

But if you don’t go away, you won’t reap the benefits of a real break from the normal routine; a chance to leave work behind for a week or two and enjoy some real quality time with the kids and your partner.