Posted inHow to run a successful website Money - how to keep it and how to make it Starting and running your business

Three business models you can use to make money from home

Working from home has become the reality for millions of people around the world, thanks to the internet. Our mum friends in the US have taken a lead on this, and it’s not uncommon to find a mother homeschooling her children while running a home-based business at the same time.

If you’re looking for a way to generate money doing just that (homeschooling aside), there are three models you can use to keep a steady flow of cash coming through:

Tips for gambling responsibly
Posted inMoney - how to keep it and how to make it

Tips for gambling responsibly

Do you often fancy your chances in the weekly lottery? Are you known to make an impulse scratch card purchase at the newsagents when you get a feeling that luck is on your side? Or maybe a a regular trip to the bingo with the girls is more your thing. Perhaps you can’t resist playing free slots on your smartphone on the way to work?

Whatever you’re into, you probably aren’t alone. The Gambling Commission estimates that there are between 236,000 and 378,000 problem gamblers in Britain, but Gamblers Anonymous thinks it is nearer 600,000 and women make a significant percentage of those figures.

If you’re left feeling ashamed, here are some tips to make sure you gamble sensibly:

Foodie Friday: the perfect barbecue
Posted inFoodie Fridays

Foodie Friday: the perfect barbecue

Now that the sun’s finally out, and looking set to stay for the next week at least, we all want to make the most of the sun. Having a barbecue is something that the whole family can enjoy – and great opportunity to cook fresh foods with lots of healthy salads,too.

If you haven’t got a BBQ and don’t know what to buy, the first video will guide you through that – then you can work your way through making BBQ burgers and tasty chicken wings…finger licking good!

Four ways to save money on business cards
Posted inA mix How to promote your business

Four ways to save money on business cards

Not so long ago, if you needed business cards you would have contacted your local printing company, paid for then to knock up an expensive design (however good it looked) and received your ordered cards one or two weeks later. If you wanted your order completed quicker, you paid extra for that service, too.

But, thanks to the internet, the creation of business cards is a lot easier, and cheaper too – find out how:

Foodie Friday: how to make a low fat chicken curry
Posted inFoodie Fridays

Foodie Friday: how to make a low fat chicken curry

Curries are a firm favourite of adults and children alike – but only if you get the seasoning right!

Today’s video will show you how to whip up a low-fat chicken curry in next to no time:

Setting up a home office: three tips to get you started
Posted inStarting and running your business

Setting up a home office: three tips to get you started

Setting up a home office is one of the first milestones that lets you – and the rest of the family – know that you mean business. You’re not just spending hours on your laptop surfing or Facebooking, but are actually doing something tangible.

But you don’t need to spend thousands to do it – unless you choose to, of course. If you want to get the basics right and build on from there (or expand as your business grows), here are some tips on choosing office furniture:

A mother’s work is never done – so how do we do it?
Posted inFamily life

A mother’s work is never done – so how do we do it?

Being a mum. It’s a full time, unpaid job. Replete with (sometimes) moody customers, a myriad of paperwork and an ever growing list of ‘to-do’ items, it’s a wonder any mother can find the time or inclination to go out and work alongside their domestic duties.

But work they frequently do and, as the Office for National Statistics cheerily informs us, the number of mothers working full time in the UK has risen from a quarter to a third in the past 15 years.

Four tips to help you buy school uniform on a tight budget
Posted inChildren & Relationships Family life Money - how to keep it and how to make it What's in the news?

Four tips to help you buy school uniform on a tight budget

Tight budget or not, buying school uniforms is a must for every parent with school-aged children. And the older they get the more expensive and mandatory school uniform becomes.

So how can parents shop on a budget when purchasing school uniform during times of austerity? Here are four tips to help you buy school uniform on a tight budget:

Foodie Friday recipe: Mini pita pizzas with pick’n’mix toppings
Posted inFoodie Fridays

Foodie Friday recipe: Mini pita pizzas with pick’n’mix toppings

Most children love pizza, but if you’re a health-co scions mum you’ll not want to pander to the unhealthy demands too often. A healthier alternative, however, which keep everyone happy are pita pizzas.

Cheap to make, and a fun cooking experience for even young children, these filling yummy servings are perfect as part of a meal, or for parties.

Thinking of working from home? Four things you should consider
Posted inA mix

Thinking of working from home? Four things you should consider

So you’ve found something that you’re great at, that people have paid you to do for them, and you want to set up your own business from home – but where do you start?

Posted inFamily life Money - how to keep it and how to make it

Maternity leave is not well-paid enough! Top tips to avoid debt during your maternity leave

While the UK ranks well for paid maternity leave when compared to other countries, there is a distinction between paid and week paid, and when it is compared to countries providing well-paid maternity leave it slips down the scale.

Posted inA mix Work and career tips and advice

Are you being productive or just busy being busy?

We live in a culture where every talks about being busy, and we’re all guilty of saying it at so e point (or all the time, depending on how honest you want to be!). Rarely do we stop to ask whether we’re working hard on the right things for the right reasons.

Imagine this: you’ve been applying for jobs for weeks, months even, when you are called for an interview. You can barely sleep the night before, and when the time comes, you’re burning with energy. You hop the bus to get there and rush into the building, only to find the lift that will take you to the 12th floor is broken.

But you don’t let that stop you. You rush up the stairs, and by the time you make it to the top, you’re completely out of breath. That’s when you look at the sign hanging above the receptionist and realise that you were in the wrong building!

Foodie Friday: homemade fish pie
Posted inFoodie Fridays

Foodie Friday: homemade fish pie

It can often be a struggle to get children into enjoying fish – unless it’s coated in batter and served with chips! But this fish pie recipient from Nelson’s has a mix of potatoes, cod and salmon, which is sure to turn the tables on the fish detesters.

What type of insurance do you need to drive family van?
Posted inFamily life

What type of insurance do you need to drive family van?

Many large families have trouble fitting everyone in the car. While a people carrier may be a good choice for some, if you have a particularly active family and children who play sports, and need enough boot space for pushchairs and the weekly shop then a van is becoming a popular choice for many.

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

A guide to supercharging your savings

With high street banks and building societies offering rock-bottom interest rates and little protection against inflation, perhaps it’s worth thinking about an alternative home for your money.

If you have an adventurous disposition and tolerance towards risk, there are various low to high risk investment strategies you may wish to consider, always remembering:

Posted inStarting and running your business

Are you really ready to start an e-commerce business? Here are give questions you should ask yourself

Starting a business is exciting and nerve-wracking. Doing it right will mean taking on a lot of responsibilities and making a lot of sacrifices. It will also mean working harder than you ever have before…but you knew that already, didn’t you?

For these reasons (among others), running a business is not for everyone. If you don’t have the right skills work ethic and commitment to operate a business, you’ll be in trouble before you make your first sale.

Foodie Friday: Southern spiced chicken recipe
Posted inFoodie Fridays

Foodie Friday: Southern spiced chicken recipe

With the bank holiday just around the corner, the temptation to spend money dining out with the family is high.

But, you’d be surprised how easy it is to rustle up something all the family can enjoy – like this recipe for Southern fried chicken. Just add some finger food, desserts and punch and you’ve got yourself a good spread!

Crippling business setup costs (and how to avoid them)
Posted inStarting and running your business

Crippling business setup costs (and how to avoid them)

Setting up a new business is something that can be very exciting, but it can also be a daunting process in a number of ways.

One of the most worrying prospects that people face when setting up a new business is the potentially crippling set-up costs that may be involved.

Four things you should know before starting any online business venture
Posted inHow to sell online

Four things you should know before starting any online business venture

If I had a pound for each person who has told me about spending unnecessary money getting their website built, and then more on the products, posters and other promotional activity without testing the waters first I’d be on a beach somewhere adding more tan to my tan!

All jokes aside, though, an online business needs as much research as any traditional business.

How to treat important clients to make sure they sign up big
Posted inA mix Starting and running your business

How to treat important clients to make sure they sign up big

Many a successful company starts with just one person, who creates an illusion of being a lot bigger than they really are.

But when the first big contract comes in, you can change your fortunes. The only problem is, when it’s just you doing the day-to-day admin, providing the products and/or services; it can be a challenge to make big clients think you’re worth working with.

Here are some things you can do: