With the festive season already a distant memory, many of us are looking forward to planning and booking our first holiday of 2019! Whether you’re hoping to head off in the next half term or you’re saving until the summer holidays, there’s going to be lots to plan, sort and arrange before you set foot in sunnier climes. So, with that in mind, we’ve come up with 6 of the most important things you need to do before you go on holiday – just in case you’ve forgotten! Read on for a few ideas. Get your travel insurance sorted. Whether you need a straight forward policy for yourself or ... read more
Holiday Haze: How to Make Lifelong Memories this Holiday Season
Everyone is excited about the holidays, and you probably have some great events planned—but do you remember what happened last holiday season? Probably not. The holiday haze is a real thing, largely due to an increase in libations and over-committing to events. However, there are steps you can take right now to make the most of the holiday season and really build some traditions and memories. It all starts with getting to the festivities in comfort. Leasing or buying a new 2019 Jetta or other dream car is a great way to treat yourself. It’s the ultimate holiday gift, and if you get it in candy ... read more
How to Feel Your Absolute Best
It’s easy to get into the habit of thinking that our happiness comes from external sources, but actually, this isn’t true. Happiness comes from within! We can’t get all we need to be at our thriving best from other people and things: we have to give them to ourselves. The good news is that how to feel our best isn’t all that much of a mystery. It’s actually pretty simple; all we need is a little bit of time to get them into our lives. If you’ve vowed to make 2019 the year when you’re feeling your radiant best, then take a read below, and incorporate the tips into your lifestyle. ... read more
Don’t forget your Car this Christmas
Don't panic. I have not totally lost the plot. I'm not about to sit here in a sleep-deprived new baby state and suggest that you need to buy your car gifts and hang a stocking up from the rear view mirror on Christmas Eve, but I am going to write about how you need to remember your car this Christmas, and in winter in general. I know that a fair amount of our Christmas is going to be spent on the road, travelling up and down the country to visit various family members. I'm pretty sure we're not the only people who will be spending time on the country's motorways doing so. When you think ... read more
Supporting Your Children Through Difficult Situations
Every year, thousands of children experience the stress of their parents splitting up. Their reactions are going to vary child by child, and the way that they handle the trauma of their parents’ relationship breaking down is going to depend on the way that they are supported through it. No child out there expects their parents to stop being together. They don’t anticipate change. As far as a child is concerned, Mum and Dad stay together forever in the same home as a happy family. To suddenly go from that, to having two houses to sleep in and not seeing Dad everyday, is hard. It’s also ... read more
How to Apply to Become a Foster Carer
Starting your foster care application is an exciting time. It is the first step to becoming a positive force for change in the lives of young people. It’s the beginning of the journey to great rewards. However, do you know the steps you need to take to become a foster carer? Understand the role Before beginning a foster care application, it is crucial to fully understand the role of a foster carer. This is made difficult because the media doesn’t always present a realistic image. A foster carer is a highly distinct role. You will be providing the care and nurturance a young person ... read more
Why it’s Important to Have Access to Foster Support
If it takes a ‘village to raise a child’, it takes a town to raise a foster child. Whilst the foster carer is the child’s main carer, this is a demanding role that needs both foster carer support and support for the child. Foster carer support should be a primary factor to consider when choosing which body to be a foster carer through. The nature of foster carer needs Being a foster carer is like no other job out there. It’s not defined by neat working hours. It’s 24/7 for long periods of time, often months or years. Furthermore, it is by its very nature, ‘relational’. This means ... read more
Move Or Improve: Should You Extend or Sell Your Home?
Your first home, and perhaps even your next one or two, isn't necessarily the one you want to stay in forever. A starter home that you buy when you're a young couple or still free and single might not be suitable for a growing family. As your family needs space, you might start to think about the best way to give it to them. Many people will immediately think about selling and moving to a bigger home. However, extending or adapting your existing property is another option to consider. Maybe your house feels so much like home that you don't want to leave, but you know it's not quite right for ... read more
Money saving tips for when you have a new baby
One of the biggest expenses in family life can be when you have a new addition to the family. Everyone knows that having a baby comes with costs, but just how much might you need to spend? And how much of it is really necessary? It's a while back since I first wrote on here about how you can have a baby without it costing the earth, and I think that many of the tips and tricks I gave then still hold true today. This time around, my financial situation is very different to when I welcome Little Miss C into my life. This time around I don't still have everything from my first two babies, ... read more
7 Budget Friendly Ways To Update and Improve Your Home
Whether you have lived in your home for years on end, or you have just moved into a new place, stale home decor can really affect the way you view your abode. Usually, those of us who have lived in one place for a long time can easily ‘put up’ with an outdated home, without realising that major updates are needed. ‘Decor’ covers everything from the style of the sofa to the colour of the walls, but when people think of redecorating, they often think it’s a large cost. They instantly associate it with hefty bills surrounding ripping up carpets and investing in a new three piece suite. ... read more