Bringing all your loved ones together this Christmas? Whilst no one said you had to break the bank to make hosting Christmas dinner a success, doing it on a budget can feel like an impossible feat. Especially once you start writing that shopping list! To throw a fabulous Christmas dinner on a budget, give these 7 tips a try. Good luck!
Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year. There’s nothing better than seeing our children’s faces when the countdown begins. Full of anticipation for the BIG day and what Santa might bring. Yet for parents, the pressure can sometimes be too much to handle. You want to give your children the best Christmas yet! So trying to fulfil this can weigh on your mind and take away the joy. To honour that, we’re sharing 5 thrifty, homemade Christmas gift ideas for you to try, allowing you to create some great memories with the kids and to save some precious pennies in the process!
What did home-schooling over the pandemic teach us? That some things are better left to actual teachers! But, as many of us know from our own school days, we’re actually taught very little about money and 86% of employers believe that school doesn’t prepare young people for the real world. Intentional or not, learning starts at home. As your child grows up it’ll be you that introduces them to the world of money. Educating your children about money management earlier in life can be beneficial. By teaching them about the value of pennies, you’ll be helping to set them up for success later in their lives.
Saving money is one of the most popular new year’s resolutions. Right up there with losing weight and taking up a new hobby. Ironically, it’s also one of the most broken resolutions! Let’s face it – budgeting is not always easy. Life can get in the way and managing money can feel quite stressful. Sometimes it’s easier to protect our anxiety levels than face the music and check the balance on screen. There’s a handful of budgeting apps out there to help you manage your spending. So we’re going to run through our top 3 to help you and your family reach your financial goals.
Thanks to contactless cards, making payments has never been easier – or faster, for that matter. We live in a paperless world whereby the tap of a card, we can quickly pay for our weekly food shop, a coffee or an impulse buy. And with the contactless card limit increasing to £100 on the 15th of October, your bank account may be at risk of experiencing a couple of financial frights this Halloween.
If your kids are avid Halloween fans, the traditional apple bobbing and pumpkin carving have probably lost their spook-tacular edge. Looking for creative ways to transform your Halloween festivities without giving your bank balance a fright? We’ve got you covered. Here are our five DIY Halloween games that will give your kids pumpkin’ to talk about.
Christmas isn’t the only reason that winter is one of the most expensive seasons for households across the country. As it gets colder and darker outside, the heating and lights are on for longer, and we spend more and more time in front of the TV. Inevitably, energy bills go up and it becomes harder and harder to stretch your paycheque each month.
With autumn fast approaching, your kids will be spending more and more time indoors. Transitioning to indoor life isn’t always easy for children, especially after finally breaking out of pandemic bubbles. That’s why now is a great time to make your child’s bedroom as inviting and cosy as possible. Turn their bedroom into somewhere they can’t wait to spend their time. Not only will this make transitioning indoors all the more easier for your kids but it’ll make evenings all the more peaceful for you!
Becoming a parent really is life-changing. Whether you are in the exciting stages of preparing for your baby to arrive, or whether you are finding your feet and settling into parenthood, the family finances may well be on your mind. With all this added responsibility comes a fair few added costs. It’s important to prepare for this financial change as much as you can. That way, you can focus on enjoying your little one grow up rather than stressing over the bills.
With the new school year approaching, the buzz around ‘back to school’ is ramping up. You may be feeling overwhelmed by the checklist of things to do before the start of September – from buying new school shoes to making sure they’ve got the right stationery sets. Don’t stress, we’re here to help tick lunch box prep off your to-do list. Follow our easy school lunch box hacks and this next school year will be a breeze!
Being a single parent family is a unique experience that can be challenging in all sorts of ways. Add financial worries into the mix and it can be a recipe for anxiety, as even the most reasonable of us tend to focus on the necessities, treats and experiences we feel unable to give our children. Over time, this can trigger feelings of guilt, shame and exhaustion.
The summer holidays are officially upon us. Whilst the kids will be eagerly looking forward to six weeks of freedom, parents everywhere may be inwardly panicking about how on earth to keep the boredom at bay. Another worry during the school holidays is how to keep on top of spending. Getting the family out of the house often results in an ice cream here and a bag of sweets there. The pennies can very quickly add up.