Driving jobs are just the thing for mums who want a bit of income with flexibility…
Posted inMoney - how to keep it and how to make it

Driving jobs are just the thing for mums who want a bit of income with flexibility…

With the economy seemingly entering a triple-dip recession, money is still very tight for many households across the nation. The festivities of Christmas are particularly bad news for the bank balance, which is why so many people look into part-time second jobs to supplement their income.

One avenue that is definitely worth exploring is part-time driving jobs. Many of us mums already have a ‘mum’s taxi’, so it’s just a case of finding the right employment to start turning your wheels into cash.

Is coffee taking over your life and your finances?
Posted inHealth news and tips for the family Product reviews

Can’t start the day without your coffee fix? Find out which coffees are spending a lifetime on your hips…

What’s your coffee weak spot? A hazelnut latte, a mocha with whipped cream? Having these once in a while is fine, but if you’ve been wondering why your weight creeps up when you’re working, it could be down to your coffee shop purchases.

You only need to jump on the bus, tube or train to see many women grip onto their morning coffees like their lives depend on it…and then complain about weight gain without realising that their morning and afternoon coffee fix could be the culprit! 

How to prepare for the party season: making nibbles and tips to avoid a sore head in the morning
Posted inFamily life

How to prepare for the party season: making nibbles and tips to avoid a sore head in the morning

The Christmas season is upon us and between parties, gift shopping and trying to meet work deadlines before the holidays; it can leave you with little time to prepare your evening meal. This might not be high on your list of things to do at this busy time of year, but it’s actually very important. Eating healthy food will keep you warm and energised to get through the busy days – we like hearty food like Italian food, Chinese food and a good roast.

How to prepare for being a single mum (or dad)…who works
Posted inA mix Children & Relationships Family life Money - how to keep it and how to make it Relationships tips and advice

How to prepare for being a single mum (or dad)…who works

Whether your child’s father is in the picture or not, single mothers typicallay have a lot more financial stress in their lives than if they lived with their spouse or partner.

Here are some things to bear in mind if your relationship has broken down, and some tips to help you through:

How to stay sane when you working from home starts to take a toll
Posted inA mix Work and career tips and advice

How to stay sane when you working from home starts to take a toll

For many mums the ability to work from home would be a dream! being able to take the kids to school and pick them up, put a load and dinner on, and all while making enough money to live the lifestyle of choice…

But for many mums who work from home, it just doesn’t always seem to be all it’s supposed to be. The stress and pressure of trying to juggle everything with not a soul around to ask if you want a cuppa can be too much.

How to make returning to work after maternity leave tear-free
Posted inA mix Careers Coach Blog Parenting tips Work and career tips and advice

How to make returning to work after maternity leave tear-free

If I had a tenner for all the stories I’ve heard working mums share about crying the first day they left young Johnny at nursery or with a childminder…

No one said it was going to be easy, but if you want to have your cake and eat it as a working mum, you need to dust yourself off and prepare yourself emotionally, mentally and financially because there may be a few hiccups along the way.

Thinking of buying a new home? Six things every working mum should know about mortgages.
Posted inA mix Children & Relationships Money - how to keep it and how to make it

Thinking of buying a new home? Six things every working mum should know about mortgages.

Whether it’s your first time buying a home or not, you should familiarise yourself with the whole mortgage process – don’t get complacent and leave all the financial decisions to your spouse or financial adviser.

While an independent financial adviser will try to assist you in the process of acquiring a mortgage, they will have their own agenda, too, like commission and getting you out of the door fast and onto the next customer!

Five foods your teeth should avoid at the office Christmas party if you don’t want to suffer the consequences
Posted inFamily life Health news and tips for the family

Five foods your teeth should avoid at the office Christmas party if you don’t want to suffer the consequences

Christmas is a time of fun and lots of eating – at home and in the workplace. Between Christmas dinner and office parties, you’ll have a world of food pushed at you and in your mouth without a care.

But if you want to avoid toothache, teeth stains and a costly trip to the dentist in the new year, here are five foods you should steer clear of during the festive season:

Working from home can be challenging sometimes – have you thought about working from a services office?
Posted inA mix Starting and running your business

Working from home can be challenging sometimes – have you thought about working from a services office?

Working from home is a way of life for many small business owners. A great solution to juggling family and work responsibilities, self-employment also comes with the benefit of flexible hours.

However, when your business begins to grow, the home office isn’t always the best place to receive potential clients. One option is to rent service do spaces. 

Posted inA mix Children & Relationships Family life

Five simple ways that busy working mums can get a balanced Monday morning

It’s Monday morning (again). You glance at the kitchen clock and gulp down a cup of coffee while trying to put on your clothes at the same time and realise that you only have five minutes to get your six year old dressed and ready for school…and you forgot to make her packed lunch last night when you dozed off at your laptop (again!).

Five ways to stop your life as a working mum encroaching on your family life and vice versa
Posted inChildren & Relationships Family life

Five ways to stop your life as a working mum encroaching on your family life and vice versa

Most people understand how difficult it can be to balance their work and home lives once they start having children. Somehow it seems that work life or home life is always encroaching on the other and causing problems at work, at home, and many times both. But it doesn’t – and shouldn’t – be like that all the time.

Posted inA mix How to run a successful website

How to really annoy your website visitors – what every online business mum should know about their websites

It is quite easy to build a website and it is even easier to really annoy your website visitors.

Poorly thought out and poorly designed websites can cost you…and you might not even know what’s putting your website visitors off. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

Buying a car: what every mum should know before splashing the cash
Posted inA mix Money - how to keep it and how to make it

Buying a car: what every mum should know before splashing the cash

With getting loans and other types of finance proving difficult for most families because of the current economic climate, buying a new car just isn’t an option.

Buying a used car is also a great way to reduce the cost of your driving as most new cars lose around 40% of their value in the first year, anyway, and keep drpreciating quite quickly in the next two years after that.

Posted inA mix Money - how to keep it and how to make it

The working mum’s guide to insurance cover

These days, it is possible to take out an insurance policy for virtually any reason to cover any sort of asset; after all, supermodel Heidi Klum’s legs are insured, famously, for £1.3 million.

Real mum profile: Sarah Buchanan, owner of Baby-Birth
Posted inReal mums

Real mum profile: Sarah Buchanan, owner of Baby-Birth

Sarah Buchanan, 31, is mum to Hermione, four, and Eleanor, two in May. She runs Baby-Birth (www.baby-birth.com) and started the business after her own positive experience of giving birth. With her husband also running his own successful website, just how do they get the balance right?

5 ways working mums with new babies can get more sleep when you return to work
Posted inFamily life Mothers' rights at work Parenting tips What's in the news? Work and career tips and advice

5 ways working mums with new babies can get more sleep when you return to work

The joy of a new baby is certainly special and something that all new parents experience. However, not getting enough sleep is also part of having a new baby and new parents notoriously get very little sleep, if any at all.

For new mums on maternity leave, it can be gruelling enough, but if you’re self-employed or have to go back to work before your child is sleeping through the night it can be tough.

Ooops… you’re pregnant! Five ways to manage a surprise pregnancy
Posted inFamily life

Ooops… you’re pregnant! Five ways to manage a surprise pregnancy

Pregnancy is often a pleasant surprise. Of course, there are times when finding out that you’re pregnant can come as a shock. Although most unplanned pregnancies are still pleasant surprises, it doesn’t make the situation any easier… There are steps you can take to make an unplanned pregnancy a pleasant experience.

How to save money on your prescription glasses for you and the family
Posted inMoney - how to keep it and how to make it

How to save money on your prescription glasses for you and the family

Broken frames, scratched lenses, lost glasses… The cost of being a glasses wearer can start to rack up when you are accident prone.

And if you have young adventurers in you house, who always find something fascinating to do with the contents of your handbag, then you’re more susceptible to accidents and the cost of paying for two tiny pieces of glass and a bit of metal or plastic can be costly.

Posted inFamily life

3 reasons why working mums should have a hobby

Before you became a mum, you probably had a hobby or two that you enjoyed making time to do…it doesn’t have to stop just because you have a child or children to raise.

Having a hobby can be a great way to help relive some of the stresses that being a busy working mum or mumpreneur can bring on…therapy without the cost and it will help you find your identity again.

Posted inA mix Work and career tips and advice

Accidents at work are on the rise – do you know what to do if you have a workplace mishap?

During April 2011 to March 2012, 173 workers were killed at work, according to provisional figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).