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 Usually, those of us who have lived in one place for a long time can easily ‘put up’ with an outdated home, without realising that major updates are needed.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
Simple And Effective Tips For Organising Your Home
It’s harder to get through the day when our houses are in disarray. A straightforward task takes longer because we need to clear a space to work, or we get distracted by all the bits and pieces that are not where they should be. Everyone is guilty of this, at least every so often. There are long-term simple and effective tips for organising your home though, find out what steps you have have missed and how to achieve a tidy home. Storage solutions If you haven’t explored any storage solutions, then you won’t understand their power. Storage containers and flexible tubs just slip into the ... read more
Eight tips for planning a family vacation in Asia
The planning required to make any vacation a success can at times become intimidating once you know that the family and kids are coming as well. While fun and relaxation are the prime targets of any family holiday, achieving these goals means to literally go through a maize of selecting a hotel from hundreds, pouring over travel literature and scanning the net for the right flight and seat selection. Asia as a destination can be very enticing, but it is equally daunting, especially if you are a first timer and more so if there is a family in tow. Searching on Google will only confuse ... read more
Selling Your House For A Bigger Profit
Picture Source Selling a property can be an overwhelming undertaking. You might be eager to move into your new home, but you have to focus on getting the best possible deal for your old one. The bigger your profit, the more money you’ll have to spruce up your own abode. If you want to sell your house for a bigger profit then here are some smart ways to add value to your property. Make it feel larger. There are plenty of ways to give a house the illusion of size. You could declutter or even convert existing space; for example, the attic could become a guest bedroom. Of course, you ... read more
Better safe than sorry – treating your car with the respect it deserves!
As a busy mum I rely on my car. It's more than it just getting me from A to B. It's a safe way to travel with my children and without it I simply wouldn't be able to have them come and stay with me. Where we live is just too far away from their Dad's and their school to get there via any other route. Trust me I've looked. It'd be over an hour on a couple of buses and a train to do the journey any other way. When you compare that to 20-odd minutes in the car it's a bit of a no-brainer really. The thing is thought that cars can - and unfortunately do - go wrong. There are some problems ... read more
How To Cut The Cost Of Kid’s Clothes In Half
New parents are always surprised at just how much money they end up spending on clothes for the kids. They seem to have a natural talent for ruining clothes, it seems like as soon as you buy them something new, it’s covered in mud or ripped in 5 minutes. They also grow out of them before your eyes and you’re constantly having to buy new stuff. That can get pretty expensive and when you’re trying to budget for a family, it’s a bit of an issue. Luckily, there are some simple ways that you can save money on kids clothes. Hand Me Downs The kids are probably going to complain about this ... read more
5 Tip and Tricks to increase the value of your home on a budget
It is no secret that it is harder than ever to get on the property ladder, with soaring house prices and a hugely competitive market. Yet in 2018, the number of first-time buyers is the highest in 12 years. After committing to the biggest investment of their lives, it is not surprising that house buyers are more keen than ever to make sure they can successfully increase the value of their home. Don’t worry, you don’t need to take out a second mortgage to pay for home improvements! Here are 5 tips and tricks to increase the value of your home on a budget. Convert Under-Utilised ... read more