A guide to your rights when you work as a temp
Temping has many benefits, and you have a right to be treated with respect, just as much as a full-time employee. Find out what your rights are when you work as a temp (an agency worker).
Posted inChildren & Relationships Real mums
Take inspiration from these women: unsung entrepreneurial success
Hands up anyone who can’t by now, after several series of The Apprentice, recite exactly, Karen Brady’s business career almost as well as Alan Sugar’s? Who doesn’t know about the nerve and willpower of Margaret Thatcher as she took on the Old Boys’ Network and won?
How to help a child that’s falling behind at school
Let’s face it, with all the best will in the world, not every child is going to be like Einstein (and neither should they!), but you as a parent will know when your child is falling behind at school.
So what can you do about it? Here are some tips:
Child tax credits:what you should know
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?
Could you survive the Slim.Fast challenge?
Now that the weather is warming up (a little), the reminder that summer isn’t far off is not far from most of our minds – especially where those jiggly bits are concerned.
Losing weight can be such a chore, so we’re always up for finding ways to make it as easy as possible. Here’s what one of our reader’s found a week’s challenge, compliments of Slim.Fast:
Workplace Politics and How to Cope
Every office has its quirks and unspoken rules when it comes to etiquette, but some of the universal rules of good behaviour seem so obvious that they’re easily overlooked.
Are you the person who’s always leaving your coffee mug in the kitchen sink and leaving it for others to wash up for you? Did you think that your colleagues haven’t noticed? What does that sloppiness say about your ability to finish a task for the team or your willingness to take responsibility?
Online tutoring: a convenient and fun way for children to learn
We all share a desire to give our children the best possible opportunities to succeed and to reach their full potential – it’s just that juggling the commitments of our own work and of current after-school activities can make this hard to achieve.
Adding more activities to your child’s schedule can mean losing out on something in your life, or your child may miss out on some much needed downtime.
How to be and stay financial free in 2014
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.
Posted inWhat's in the news?
Video: how to make a studded or embellished shirt collar
Keeping up with the latest fashion can be costly. If you’re smart, you’ll be cutting back and saving as much money as you can in 2014. And one way to do that is with a little DIY where possible – even clothes.
Watch today’s video on how to make a studded shirt collar. If you have a fashion-conscious daughter, this is a nice project you can do together.
How to save money on the cost of childcare
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?
Posted inRelationships tips and advice
Going on a date this Valentine’s? Here are some tips for dressing for a double date
New Year is the perfect time to refresh your outlook and provide motivation for positive change.
It’s a great time to put action next to your plans, and if you’re single and hoping to meet someone special that will no doubt involve getting familiar with the dating game!
Posted inChildren & Relationships Parenting tips
Is it a good idea to buy your child a Kindle, iPad or any other tablet?
Children these days know technology like no other. Just give a toddler a phone or tablet and, somehow, they know how to work their way around it effortlessly. This has its pros and cons, and that’s another article altogether!
The question is, however, should we buy children Kindles, iPads and other tablets?
Posted inFoodie Fridays
Foodie Friday: how to make yummy and healthy smoothies even the kids will love
If you’re serious about being healthier in 2014, and have made a promise to make sure that your family will have its five a day (fruits and veg, that is), then a great way to start the day is with a smoothie.
All those fruit and veg that you can never get the kids to enjoy can be ‘hidden’ in a yummy berry oat smoothie. Watch this video to get some tips from top chef Gee Charman:
Posted inCareers Coach Blog
Thinking of a career change? Here’s how to do it
The days of life-long careers may be over – it’s increasingly uncommon these days for a person to stay in exactly the same job for their whole life.
Many people prefer to build up a set of transferrable skills and move between industries over the years. But making a career change can still be a nerve-racking decision.
Don’t let parenting stress you out – here’s how
If I had a pound for every time someone told me how tiring parenting is, or how much hard work it must be to juggle working with raising a family, I’d be quids in. The truth is, everything has it’s challenges, but that doesn’t mean it is an impossible task – and parenting is no different. It really does not always have to be a stressful job.
What do new employee shareholder contracts mean for you?
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.
Posted inRelationships tips and advice
How to prepare for being a single parent
With the dawn of a new year, many people start making changes in their lives – new job, new body, new home, new attitude…and divorce, according to research.
If you’re facing the possibility of being a single mother, you’ll be thinking about a lot of things – your finances will probably be somewhere high on that list. Watch the following video to find out how you can prepare yourself financially for becoming a single parent:
Posted inStaying healthy
How to really stop smoking this year
Smoking is usually somewhere at the top of New Year’s resolutions. If you want to quit but don’t know if you can really break the habit this time, here are some tips to help:
Posted inChildren & Relationships Parenting tips
New year, new school? How to prepare your child for school in January
With schools starting back next week, many children will start school in January.
If you’ve been struggling to get them mentally prepared for the experience, this video will help:
Posted inCareers Coach Blog Video tutorials
Video tutorial: How to quit your job
What’s worse than having a job that you hate, makes you miserable, barely pays the bills and with colleagues that you can’t stand? Not much really, but knowing all these things and still doing nothing about it comes a very close second.