How I’m saving for my kids (and myself) with Beanstalk
If you are anything like me, then the thought of doing any kind of financial admin, like sorting out your kids’ child trust funds (CTFs) or even your own ISA is enough to bring on a cold sweat.
Well, thanks to Beanstalk* it need not be so daunting.
I had been putting off getting to grips with my kids’ accounts for years. The hassle of rummaging through paper statements and a clunky online portal meant I wasn’t that aware of how much we had saved for them or what fees were being charged. Plus, it was almost impossible to allow my partner or the grandparents to contribute.
But the onset of the pandemic focused my mind, like I’m sure it has for many families to consider ours and our kids’ money. I also wanted to involve the kids early in the saving process to teach them to look after their money, too.
As a bit of background I set up my older children’s CTFs with OneFamily (or Family Investments as they were known back then) and I had been saving between £10 – £20 a month.
In 2019, my first girl was born. I set up another Junior ISA and during this year I started using apps, like Moneybox, Plum, Chip and Tandem for myself – although I soon forgot that some of them charged a monthly fee – whoops!
In 2022 I found Beanstalk after being invited to try the app by the co-founder of Beanstalk, Cem Eyi, a father who had gone through a similar experience with OneFamily and wanted to simplify saving and investing for his family in one easy-to-use app – hence Beanstalk was born.
His daughter’s Child Trust Fund was also with OneFamily and after struggling with their interface and the 1.5% annual fee, Cem wanted Beanstalk to be an easier experience for parents.
And it is.
So what is Beanstalk?
Beanstalk* is a simple app that makes saving for children (and yourself) easy. The app is packed with tools; including money back on purchases and rounding up your change.
I opened my children’s Beanstalk Stocks & Shares Junior ISA and ISA for myself in minutes – handy for a busy mum like me. There are no regular contributions I had to commit to, making it friendly to my sometimes-volatile finances.
Launched by the team behind KidStart, Beanstalk has been helping parents save for their children for over 12 years and has helped thousands of families save millions for their kids. You can join them today by clicking here*. Please remember, your capital is at risk as with any investment the value can go down as well as up.
Is Beanstalk free?
Downloading and using Beanstalk is free with no fixed monthly or minimums fees. There is an annual fee of 0.5% of account value, however, which beats the 1.5% fee charged by some other Child Trust Fund and Junior ISA providers at the moment.
Some of the tools I used to help me save
Beanstalk has some handy tools to help me save little and often. I have found it easy to save on “auto-pilot” using their round up tool, for example. Also, I have invited hubby and extended family to be linked on the app. They can see their contributions and send messages with any gifts, which is nice for the children to see how their family has been saving for them over the years.
I also use their sister app, KidStart*, when shopping online to receive money back on my purchases – for example Sainsbury’s give up to 10% back which goes straight into my kids’ Beanstalk accounts. Conveniently, you can access it directly from the Beanstalk app or use the same credentials to log into the KidStart website or app.
What did I think of Beanstalk?
I found the Beanstalk app* very simple to use and I’ve pretty much used all the other apps in the online banking app space. Where Beanstalk stands out is that I’m saving for my ISA as well as the kids’ Junior ISAs and it’s all in one place, in front of your face.
With other platforms, I had to log onto the PC and check my account details, statements, and documents. It was overwhelming. What am I saving with? What are the fees? Where am I supposed to go to find out how much I’ve saved? With Beanstalk, it’s in one easy-to-use app, all in one place and you can share and invite people to contribute in just a few clicks of a button.
I found the information on the app valuable because I’m coming from a newbie standpoint and learning about the basics so that I can teach my kids to save and invest too. So having those kinds of tools available to me is vital.
We need to teach our kids to save what they can, when they can. They need to learn how to make their money work harder for them. This is the aim of Beanstalk, and my aim too.
This is a paid collaborative post with Beanstalk. As always with investments, your capital is at risk. The value of your investment can go down and up, and you may get back less than you invest. This information should not be regarded as financial advice. Links marked with a ‘*’ are affiliate links, which means I may mean earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when you click through and buy. Capital at Risk. See Beanstalk’s website for more details.
List of things you need for university
If you are a parent with a child starting university, then this post is for you. If you are a parent with a child who will start university in the future, then this post is also for you.
I remember my first day at university (a long, long time ago!), where I felt very much out of my comfort zone. I had taken a private student loan during my gap year between college and uni and worked to save up for my whopping tuition fees and accommodation costs. However, everything ended up being a lot more expensive than I had initially imagined and, to say that I had learned a lot of difficult financial lessons during my time as a student, was a massive understatement. Student life was harder than I thought!
You don’t want your child living on baked beans on toast throughout university, so a simple education on how to cook basic pasta and rice dishes, along with staple sauces like Bolognese, white/cheese and pesto sauce will encourage a healthy and varied diet, with better results at uni all-round.
A good current bank account with student perks
Lots of bank accounts offer interest-free overdrafts when your child opens up a bank account, along with many other perks like discounts to well-known brands and stores. So, it’s worth shopping around to check which bank account best suits your child’s situation. Moneysavingexpert.com has tons of information on the student current accounts available at the moment, so I’d advise checking there first.
It’s also worth giving your child a lesson in managing their finances. If you need some budgeting tips, check out this article.
A current workable CV to help them get a part-time job at university
If you help your child create a great workable CV, even if it doesn’t include any actual work experience, they will have a good chance of getting a part-time job during university during their job search and stand on their own two feet financially, which will teach them valuable lessons later in life.
Summer school to prepare your child for uni life
Preparing your child for university involves more than just equipping them with practical life skills and essentials. Enrolling them in a pre-university summer school can be a pivotal step. These programs, available for students aged 16-18, offer an immersive experience into university life and studies, significantly enhancing their university applications.
Whether opting for free programs aimed at students from under-represented communities or paid courses covering a variety of subjects, these summer schools provide an invaluable opportunity for your child to explore their academic interests, experience the university environment, and bolster their readiness for higher education.
A laptop means your child can type notes in lectures and complete their assignments in their room, in the library, in the park, at their friend’s house or in a club (whatever floats their boat). You can also keep in contact with them via Skype, email or messenger. A laptop means versatility, security and no excuses to not work!
Here are some great student-friendly laptops out in the market today:
Apple M1 MacBook Air
2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop: Apple M1 Chip, 13” Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage, Backlit Keyboard, FaceTime HD Camera, Touch ID; Space Grey. Buy from Amazon now*
HP Pavilion x360 14″ 2-in-1 Laptop PC 14-dy0002sa, Touch Screen, Intel Pentium Gold, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, FHD, Natural silver with Stylus Pen and Microsoft 365 Personal 12 months included. Buy from Amazon now*
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go Ultra-Thin 12.4” Touchscreen Laptop (Platinum) – Intel 10th Gen Quad Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Windows 10 Home in S Mode, 2020 Edition. Buy from Amazon now*
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T 14 inch Laptop – (Intel Core i7-1165G7, 8GB, 512GB SSD, Full HD Touchscreen Display, Windows 10, Racing Green). Buy from Amazon now*
LG gram 17Z90P Silver, Windows 11, Ultra-Lightweight 1,350g, 17-inch laptop, Long lasting battery up to 19.5 hours, Intel Core i5-11th Gen, 8 GB, SSD 512 GB. Buy from Amazon now*
*Links marked with a ‘*’ are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.
How to save money at Christmas
Yes, I mentioned the C-word already!
You might not want to think too much about Christmas just yet but it’s rapidly approaching, which means life is about to get a heck of a lot more expensive – than it already is.
However, post-pandemic, Christmas has become more about ordering presents from the comfort of your own home, which can also become quite costly.
Christmas can become so money-oriented for most and with just under two months to go, time is ticking to start your Christmas shopping too. This is normally the time when I think about gifts as well, but in reality I’ve always done Christmas shopping last minute. My son, brother, sister and dad’s birthdays are all in December, so I start to feel the pinch by the time my Christmas shop is over.
This year, I decided to be a little more organised with my Christmas plans and work out how to be more practical with my Christmas gifts this year, as well as offer cheap Christmas gifts which are still high quality and useful for each family member.
So, here are some quick tips on how to save money at Christmas, and still get awesome new gifts for the family even though it’ll mostly be a virtual event this year.
Make a list and check it twice
If Santa can make a list of who he will give Christmas presents to this year, then so can you. If I had a million pounds sitting in the bank account, I would buy every single person I know a Christmas present. However, I am not that flush and so this year, I sat down and made a list of close friends and family who absolutely should receive a gift, bearing in mind that I have four family member’s birthdays falling in the same month, so, that’s eight presents already.
Is it normal to buy non-family members gifts for Christmas just for the sake of it?
The question is are you able to trim your list down even further? Do you buy for second cousins whom you rarely see? Maybe a card for them would suffice this year, especially if you get them a personalised Christmas card. You can find some great Christmas cards from Card Factory, which are not overpriced. Perhaps speak to them about it; they might be glad of the reduced expense too! If you get this list done as soon as possible then you can get in some early xmas shopping before the mad rush.
Set yourself a spending limit
Once you’ve worked out exactly who you’re buying for, then you need to set yourself a spending limit to ensure you don’t end up seriously out of pocket. You can grade the limit depending on how well you know the person, but you need to make sure you stick to it or you can end up looking at a nasty surprise on your bank balance. Set yourself a limit on spending on the children and your partner too, no matter how tough it might be to enforce when you get into the spending habit.
Spread the purchases
If you start now, you will still be able to benefit from one or two more paydays before the big day. Many people may have already started the buying process but if you haven’t, it’s not too late! One year, 13million people were expected to head for the high street for some last-minute buys; don’t be one of them if you don’t have to be, especially during the pandemic – ordering online is safe!
Transferring some money into a separate account, or your various savings accounts would mean that you know exactly what you have to spend without breaking into money that you need on a day-to-day basis, which means you’re saving money in the process.
Look out for the supermarket savings schemes too – while you may have to spend the money in-store, you’d be surprised at what they stock nowadays. When you spread money across your bank accounts, you can also use one particular account for Christmas shopping and ask family members to chip in some money to buy each member one decent present rather than lots of little cheap gifts.
Consider using your credit card
A survey from My Voucher Codes found that 56% are still using paychecks to pay for all their Christmas expenses, while 30% are using their credit cards. It may be worth considering using a credit card if you are sure you can keep your monthly repayments, as some cards offer a 0% interest rate. Make sure you check how long the 0% interest rate lasts for because these credit card companies can raise the APR up to as high as 18.9%.
So, make sure you pay them off before they bite.
Avoid debt at all costs
Debt, when it’s not invested into something that will achieve a higher return (so you can pay it back quickly), is bad news, especially when it’s to purchase frivolous buys that you don’t need. Christmas on a budget means sticking to the simple rule of thumb – if you can’t afford it, don’t spend it. Try to avoid resorting to store cards and credit cards unless you absolutely have to.
Start the Christmas shopping early
The earlier you start your Christmas shopping, the easier it is to spread the cost out, reducing the chances of having to pay for everything all at once. Some people like to pick up presents throughout the year and even start as early as January sales! If that seems a bit early then you should really get a move on once November rolls around as Christmas really is only around the corner.
Seek out the sales and utilise deals on the internet
The beauty of our generation is that we no longer need to make that mad rush to the shops and resort to buying the last item on the shelf. There are so many options available to you online now and my go-to favourite, especially for last-minute Christmas gifts, is Amazon.
They can provide some amazing deals, and help you save for Christmas, by offering up to 80% off the original price. So you are bound to find a bargain for your cheap Christmas shopping if you look hard enough. Plus, if you have Prime then you can benefit from same/next-day delivery too! Check out how to join below if you haven’t done so yet:
Moneysavingexpert.com (an amazing resource website for money-saving tips all-round) have created ‘Amazon Discount Finder’ which “manipulates Amazon web links to create customised bargain-basement pages” and it is a great way to prepare for a great Christmas for less.
eBay is also a great site for grabbing some awesome gifts at a fraction of the cost. Don’t be discouraged by the fact that some items may be used, however. Some of the auction items are labelled as ‘used’, even if they have barely been used once.
If you look hard enough, you can also even find some summer sales around with great knock-off prices, meaning you can get a little more for your money.
Give to charity while you’re Christmas shopping
Use online stores who use a percentage of every purchase you make and donate it to charity – so your gift keeps on giving! Give as you Live, the shopping website with a big heart takes 2.5% of every purchase and donates it to your choice of charity. Or, if you don’t know which charity you’d like to donate to, then the money will go to the charity of the month.
There are over 4,000 retailers to choose from and there are exclusive deals for registered users too. Christmas is also a time to indulge a bit (within the budget of course!), and with Give as you Live you can let go of the rules slightly and just enjoy some good ol’ fashioned unremorseful fun while giving back to various charities as well, along with those organisations who plan to give away free Christmas stuff each year.
Do a secret santa
A great option on how to make Christmas cheaper is to do a Secret Santa. Secret Santa is normally reserved for those at work when everyone pulls a colleague’s name out of a hat and you buy a token present for them, rather than shelling out for several people at work. However, you can also do this amongst friends and family, and it works particularly well if you have a large family. You can use cool websites such as Elfster so that everyone can draw up wishlists of gifts, ensuring everyone gets something they want.
How do you save money on making gifts for Christmas?
What do you give someone who has everything? One great tip on how to have a cheap Christmas is to make a personalised one-of-a-kind gift that has been made by you or your children. Personalised gifts carry little to no price tag because they are created with love by you. Sometimes they can be the best gifts to receive because they are so personalised and all you need to fork out for are the supplies to make them. Save time wrapping presents too here.
Some great seasonal presents can include Christmas cookies in a personalised jar or a keepsake box full of little items that hold sentimental value to you and the recipient. And, if it all goes wrong, just blame it on the creativity of the kids (just kidding!)
Can you give gift cards or cash as presents?
If you’ve set aside a budget and you know how much Christmas money you’re planning to spend on each recipient, then think about sending out gift cards. That way, every person gets the same value gift and they can spend the gift card on something they truly want. Gift cards can be expensive though, and sometimes it doesn’t feel right to send a gift card of less than £20 as a Christmas present. So, if you can find cheap Christmas presents instead that cost less than £20, but are still quality enough to make a decent present, then go for those instead.
Is money the most useful Christmas gift?
It could be if you can afford to give cash.
Is money for a Christmas gift good enough, though? If so, why don’t you speak to family members and discuss Christmas money ideas for those saving for something in particular, so you can help contribute to their one special present by helping putting money towards it.
Is there such a thing as a free Christmas?
Even making presents for the family costs money, but you can make Christmas savings by becoming a financially educated student with where your money goes and work out how much you spend every year, so you can make savings where possible. It’s very difficult to work out how to do Christmas for free, so cut costs where possible.
How much money should I budget for kids Christmas presents?
The question is, how much money can you afford to budget for Christmas presents? Don’t go into the red and make sure you have all bills paid before you spend on extras. A good way to answer this question is to do a financial plan and work out how much you can afford every month to set aside for your kids’ Christmas presents.
Money saving Christmas gift ideas for kids that won’t break the bank
World Map Jigsaw Puzzle – 150 pieces
Suitable for ages five to ten years old, this fun yet educational world map puzzle is the perfect game to help kids learn about the countries of the world while enjoying the challenge of completing a 150-piece jigsaw puzzle. Kids can also discover local inhabitants and landmarks as well as continue their learning with a giant poster of the world map included in the box.
PROS:
Kids from 5 to 10 can enjoy this educational puzzle and pass it down to younger children when they are old enough to give it a try too.
CONS:
Some countries are not named on the puzzle
RATING:
5/5 – Challenging, educational and fun. Get the whole family involved over Christmas too!
PRICE RATING:
£
DISCOVERY CHANNEL – BUG BARN
A great gift for bug enthusiasts who like to catch and observe bugs in detail. The Bug Barn pack offers a range of bug collection tools to observe the world of the insects up close. This educational gift is for ages eight and up, but my then five and six-year-old boys had just as much fun exploring in the garden with this Bug Barn.
PROS:
Great value for its contents and works well to catch bugs, examine them and then put back. Gets the kids outdoors and learning about nature.
CONS:
You can use the magnifying canister on its own, the rest of the kit are embellishments
RATING:
5/5 – Great for kids of any age and is well made to keep them amused for hours. Get the kids wrapped up and take them outside to learn about the winter bugs!
PRICE RATING:
£
Ravensburger Labyrinth Game
An a-mazeing game that has magical moving walls and tons of treasure to collect. Get the kids to move their way through the labyrinth, avoiding the traps and building up their wall-moving strategy to outmanoeuvre other players and collect all the treasures that are in their path. It’s a great two-four player strategy game for ages seven and up, that will get the kids thinking about their next moves strategically.
PROS:
The rules are easily adaptable for younger kids to understand and challenging enough for older kids to enjoy playing with adults. Easy to set up and lots of fun to play. Plus it’s cheap so you can work out how to save money for Christmas by getting Christmas gifts that still entertain the kids at the same time!
CONS:
It takes a while to get used to and the game has a lot of rules, which can get confusing.
RATING:
5/5 – The game is easily adaptable for all ages and fun to play with the whole family at Christmas. So, bring this board out when the eggnog has been passed around and the food has been scoffed.
PRICE RATING:
£
Hedbanz the game
A fun game for two – six players aged seven and up (but five-year-olds can get involved too), Hedbanz develops deductive reasoning skills and strategy. The ‘What Am I?” game involves the children asking questions until they can figure out what the cartoon of either an animal, food or object is on their adjustable headband. The first person to guess who they are wins.
PROS:
A great game to encourage everyone to join in and develop their vocabulary in such a fun way.
CONS:
The game can get a little repetitive.
RATING:
A great game to get all the adults and kids involved to play over Christmas dinner. Expect a lot of laughs.
PRICE RATING:
£
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Gemstone Dig Kit
Suitable for ages six and up, the Mega Gemstone Mine Dig Kit allows children to become treasure hunters and start an incredible rock collection of 15 rocks and gemstones, which they unearth and discover. Kids get to learn the geology of each specimen using the full-colour learning guide included that contains lots of fascinating facts.
PROS:
You can take the Mine Dig Kit with you anywhere. The kids will concentrate on digging out the stones for hours and enjoy looking up what they’ve unearthed in the guide included.
CONS:
Some older children can find the rocks within minutes and may move on to other games.
RATING:
5/5 – A great Christmas game to play on the main table. Discover the rocks and gems with the children and learn what they all mean together with the guide
PRICE RATING:
££
Articulate for kids
A fast-talking description game for four to 20 players and kids from six to 12 years, Articulate is fast, entertaining and fun all at the same time. The game helps kids to read, learn new words and describe them using their imagination, which is great for developing their understanding of the words.
PROS:
The ideal way to encourage kids to get descriptive, while concentrating on not saying the actual word. It’s a great way to broaden their vocabulary.
CONS:
The timer runs out very quickly, so you may need to adapt the rules accordingly for younger children.
RATING:
5/5 – The perfect family board game to play over Christmas when the adults are a little tipsy and the kids are getting full on sugar. A fun, yet educational way to encourage the kids to broaden their vocabularies and gently push them to use more descriptive words to help other players guess the word in under the time limit.
PRICE RATING:
£
VTech 193803 Kidizoom Smart Watch DX2 Toy, Blue
Kids from five to 12 years can take photos and videos wherever they are, with their new fancy portable camera watch that not only provides eight-plus games you can download but a built-in motion sensor and pedometer, as well as an intuitive colour touchscreen. The smartwatch comes in Blue and Pink.
PROS:
There are tons of features for the children to enjoy at such an affordable price. A calculator, calendar, alarm, stopwatch and voice recorder, plus much more is included!
CONS:
The smartwatch uses up the battery quite quickly and the screen is not crystal clear. No GPS tracking included.
RATING:
5/5 – A portable smartwatch that enables the children to document their fun Christmas by taking tons of pictures and videos of the family gathering and savouring them for years to come.
PRICE RATING:
££
K’NEX Imagein Deluxe Building Set
This educational construction set contains 480 classic K’Nex pieces and 35 building ideas that will get the kids’ brain juices flowing and imaginations wild. Perfect for ages seven and up, but five-year-olds would still able to have a go, there are tons of open-ended building fun that the whole family can enjoy together.
PROS:
Great gift and affordable, the K’Nex building set encourages the children to interact with all age groups and work together as a team to get imaginative with their build. Comes with a large storage box to store other K’Nex pieces too.
CONS:
Quite a few small pieces included, so be careful with younger children around.
RATING:
5/5 – The kids will have hours of fun using the small K’Nex pieces to build something imaginative and creative. Get the adults involved too to build something Christmassy that the whole family can be proud of.
PRICE RATING:
£
Chilli Pro Reaper Reloaded Stunt Scooter – Full Neochrome
Scooters promote fun, balance, confidence and durability as well as develop gross and fine motor skills. Riding a scooter helps kids’ coordination skills and improves their overall strength and endurance, so it’s well worth buying them a scooter for Christmas and getting them out in the winter months to ward off the cold bug.
PROS:
Fun, durable and high quality. The integrated handlebars and headtube help kids to manoeuvre and glide through windy paths easily and with confidence.
CONS:
These scooters may be too intermediate for younger children, so it’s worth shopping around for more beginner style scooters.
RATING:
5/5 – Nothing gets a child’s heart pumping more than burning their energy in the great outdoors and scooters are the best way to improve their confidence, motor skills, strength and balance. Forget the cold, wrap up warm and take the whole family out for a scooter ride! You can find the full range of scooters over at Skatehut.
PRICE RATING:
£££
Melissa & Doug On the Go Secret Decoder Deluxe Activity Set and Super Sleuth Toy
Perhaps you’re making the Christmas dinner and you need the kids out of your hair for a while. The On the Go Secret Decoder Deluxe Activity Set and Super Sleuth Toy will keep the kids amused for hours, cracking and decoding puzzles to solve dozens of mini-mysteries with more than 50 unique activities included in the set. The set includes a Secret Decoder Game Book, Seek & Find Game Book, Secret Message Activity Pad and magic-reveal sticker sheets.
PROS:
Great kit for a budding spy, which will keep your child busy for hours on end. Kids can send coded messages to each other through their secret message activity pad and encourage the other family members to get involved cracking the codes.
CONS:
Once the games are completed there isn’t much else you can do with the set.
Rating:
5/5 – This is a great family bonding game, where kids are encouraged to work together to crack codes and think outside of the box
PRICE RATING:
£
Some other great gifts for the family
For a new mum
BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier One Air
I have very fond memories of using the Bjorn Miracle Baby Carrier. I spent almost the entire Christmas with my eldest and my youngest cuddled up to my chest (at different times) in the Bjorn Miracle Baby Carrier (my eldest was just five days old when I used the Bjorn carrier for the first time and my youngest was eight months old when I used the carrier again for a second Christmas).
I had two very fantastic Christmases with two very happy bunnies, who were able to watch the world go by as I was scurrying around helping with the Christmas cooking and socialising with friends and family.
I then used the Baby Carrier One with my baby girl in 2019 and it has been one of the most useful tools for busy mums to carry on with jobs while keeping baby close to your chest.
You can face your baby the other way too, which is what I did with my youngest, so they could see what I saw and get up close and personal with friends and family. A fantastic buy and one I’d use again if I ever had more babies!
Now, if your children are a little older, say, between one and a half and five years old, then you’re probably going to want to get some time to breathe over Christmas. So, why not cast their attention to a HUGE box of Lego Duplo. It kept my kids amused for hours, so it should allow you to get on with the Christmas cooking/watching Christmas TV/lounging about in PJs etc, whatever you want to get up to over Christmas, but can’t because you have children hanging off your legs.
PLUS, they get one super awesome Christmas present too that will last way beyond, so it has staying power. Double PLUS – if you have Amazon Prime, you can opt for one-day delivery and, sometimes, evening delivery, depending on stock and availability.
Features
Includes a boy LEGO DUPLO figure
Features a wagon base, 2 window elements, a dog, numbered bricks and a wide selection of other DUPLO bricks
Match the numbered bricks with the corresponding decorated bricks
Store the bricks in the iconic LEGO brick-shaped storage box
LEGO DUPLO products are fun and safe for younger hand
Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity Tracker and Sleep Wristband
So, if you’ve over-indulged a little bit and you want to get back on track fitness-wise before the new year approaches, then you might want to check out the very popular Fitbit wristband, which does a multitude of things that may help settle you back into normality after the Christmas haze has lifted.
Not just a tool for measuring your calories burned and distance/steps taken, but it also tracks your sleep, i.e. how many hours you’ve slept and your quality of sleep. It doesn’t impose on your lifestyle because you just strap it to your wrist and you leave it on, allowing the Fitbit to clock in all the important bits of information you want, day and night. You can also quite helpfully sync to your smartphone or computer if you wanted to. Sounds like a handy tool for maintaining that healthy New Year plan! I always break mine after the first week, so I might need some help from Fitbit this time…
“Fitbit Flex is the ideal way to track your activity without imposing on your lifestyle. Just strap it to your wrist and leave it there, through day and night and then sync it with your smartphone or computer to see how active you are.”
Flex tracks a number of activities to help you evaluate your lifestyle:
Christmas isn’t all about the giving of presents; it’s about quality time with the family. Your kid’s faces will be a picture regardless of what they have, so don’t panic. There are ways to save money at Christmas and there isn’t any need to go all out.
And, don’t forget, being prepared and planning everything is the best way to save money at Christmas.
So, follow the above tips on saving money at Christmas and January will be a lot kinder to you and your bank account.
*Collaborative feature post*
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases*
*Contains affiliate links*
How to go from Idea to Income in just 5 Steps
I changed careers with a newborn in a new country.
When my husband and I discussed having children, I voted to wait because we were not financially ready. He overruled me, and soon we had a baby on the way.
I was working as a Legal Secretary at the time. Now while it was a good job, and the pay was not bad, I was still living paycheck to paycheck and I had no wiggle room in my budget. No emergency fund, no savings. So that meant no luxuries, no family vacations, etc. I already knew that even with the slight increase in salary I was sure to get, this situation was not sustainable.
So what did I do? I switched careers. I went to school in another country to become a Computer Technician just two months after my son was born. Once I gained some experience, I could bring in extra income to supplement my main salary. So, along with working at a local computer company, I saw clients in my off time and I also taught Computer Repair at a local business centre.
All of this was an improvement, but I soon pivoted again. I went to work for a large corporation and stopped teaching and serving clients on the side. I simply no longer had the time and energy and also I had no desperate need of the extra income.
So you might say that is great, and it was, but I was not satisfied. I took some business training and opened my businesses, which began the transition out of corporate life. I hired myself as CEO in my Business and Career Consultancy Agency and Dean of my Online IT Academy.
You can change your career and own your income too
Here is how I help people: There are many out there in the world that have these ideas within them but they don’t know how to develop them or if they can even make money doing so. I help people go from Idea to Income and I have put together a free 5 Step Guide on the topic, which you can find here.
Another way I serve is by helping Tech Enthusiasts become High-Earning Tech Experts as Computer Technicians, all while being completely online. I also have a 5-Step Guide on how you can break into the Tech Field, which can be found here.
STEP 1
It’s all about Mindset
So let’s talk about the very important first step to achieving financial freedom. It’s all about your Mindset. Mindset is everything. It can either stop you in your tracks or spur you on, so your mindset is something you must deal with first.
Believe in yourself
One of the first things that hit us with mindset is, Limiting Beliefs. These are negative things we hear or say to ourselves. It can come from our childhood, our environment, our loved ones or other from people around us. We hear:
“People like you don’t do things like this.”
Or you may say to yourself:
“I can’t do this. It’s too hard. I don’t know how to do this.”
Perhaps we shoot down our own ideas by saying:
“Someone else is already doing that. I can’t catch up or even compete.”
“The market is already saturated. There is no space for me.”
Falling prey to these limiting beliefs will stop you from attempting this new thing or putting forth the effort it takes to be successful.
Say this instead:
“I will try my best!”
“I do hard things!”
Then live up to your words and really put in the effort.
Internal Narrative
You need to write your own narrative.
Turn it from negative:
“I’m not good enough. People like me don’t do things like this.”
To Positive:
“I deserve this. People like me work hard and accomplish their goals. Period!”
Imposter Syndrome
If you have an idea, it’s for a reason, you Can bring it to fruition. You are capable. Instead of asking yourself if you are good enough or doubting if you belong to the table, take a page out of Michelle Obama’s book. She says:
‘I have been at every powerful table you can think of… They are not that smart.’
STEP 2
Make a list of your Hobbies and Skills
What are you really good at? What do you love doing? What is your passion? What do people ask you to help with?
STEP 3
Validate
Narrow it down
Take the best idea from your list, one you believe you can make money with.
Check out the Competition
Look at the successful businesses out there. The ones you admire. (Please note: this is not meant for you to copy them, just for inspiration.) How are they doing things? What can you do differently, better, with your unique spin on things?
Don’t be afraid of competition
Embrace it. It means that your idea is valid and there are people out there paying for this product or service. There is space for you. Have you ever looked at the bread aisle? What if your favourite bread company gave up on putting their bread out there because they believed there was no space for their spin on bread?!?
STEP 4
Market Research
Find your ideal client
The ones that will love your product or service and gladly buy from you and sing your praises to others. What problems are they having with the product or service you provide? How does your product or service solve the problem or ease their pain? Create a Market Research Form to find out all this information so you can best serve your clients.
STEP 5
Invest
Invest in yourself and your business
Successful people invest time and money in personal and professional development.
If you are interested in making money and creating income streams even while at home with the babies, download either of my two guides. You can find them below:
With Christmas over for another year, we’re all feeling the pinch somewhat after a month of over indulging and lavishing our loved ones with gifts. Indeed, there’s a reason why they call them the ‘January Blues,’ and budgeting can be more difficult than ever in the first month of the year.
New Year’s resolutions in particular can bring about some very ambitious and costly projects, for example, learning a new skill or re-decorating your home. However, you can still achieve these dreams and enjoy January without having to re-mortgage your property. Here are a few tips on looking after your money after Christmas.
Put your budgets onto pen and paper
If you’ve slightly over-indulged this year, it may be time to have a look at where you’re going wrong. Sit down and categorize all your outgoings accordingly – for individuals, this may be better to do so by splitting areas into travel, leisure, utilities etc., whereas for families it may be better to budget by person. You should be able to find a simple monthly budget template fairly easily by going online. A lot of them are free! This is by no means a way of singling out a particular person, but rather ensuring fairness across the board – for example, if one child has had a huge investment one month on a new Xbox, then the next month it could be time to focus on another child or mum and dad.
Budget those home improvements
Whether it’s a new kitchen re-fit or a complete bedroom overhaul, there’s no way of getting away from the cost of making home improvements. However, if you do a little bit of homework, for example, shopping for headboards online, you can keep an eye on some of the best discounts out there. More often than not, you will find a better deal online, particularly when it comes to furniture shopping. Keep an eye out for those ‘end of season sales’ in high street retailers – very often, the big discounts they promise are in actual fact figures which have been tweaked. You may find yourself better off shopping mid-season.
Spread your costs throughout the year
A lot of looking after your money can simply be timing. If you’re looking back at last year and thinking that all your spending came out in December, consider trying to spread the cost. You could try re-arranging your bills to come out on pay day, or start Christmas shopping early on, for example, in October, to spread the cost. Take what would traditionally be expensive in a certain month, such as holiday shopping, and re-distribute the cost to another. You’ll be amazed at how much you can save by simply shuffling things around.
Switching energy suppliers when you’re renting
Energy providers are continually raising their energy prices and the advice is to switch energy providers every year to get a better deal. But, if you’re renting, is it as straightforward as switching over? 8.3 million households rent in the UK, but only 10% are changing their providers. The total money lost by renters who don’t switch their energy provider is a whopping £1.24bn, which is a huge amount of money. And with the average family spending around £300 more than they should, it’s time to start thinking about switching your energy provider. But, is it so simple for renters? Motherhood Diaries discusses the benefits of switching energy suppliers when you’re renting, so you can better spend the money you save on your own home instead.
Can I just switch energy providers?
Absolutely, and now is the time to do it, preferably before winter when the heating gets cranked up and you’re maxing your energy power. So the questions you need to ask yourself is:
Have you switched energy providers in the last year?
Are you with one of the big six energy companies? i.e. British Gas, EDF, Eon, NPower, Scottish Power, and SSE.
If you answered no to questions 1 and yes to question 2, then you may be paying 30% more than you should be paying with your energy bills. Therefore you should be changing your energy provider now because you may be wasting around £300 every year.
But, how do I find the best energy deals?
Switching energy providers is the easy part. You compare energy providers by finding an energy comparison site like moneyexpert.com and inputting your details. It is advisable to have your bill on hand to fill out the forms, but if you don’t then the comparison site will estimate the details for you and find the cheapest provider in your area. Make sure you go whole-of-market which means pick the comparison sites which don’t hide tariffs from you. And, don’t be afraid to go with the smaller newer energy providers as their main job is to keep you on as a customer and try to compete against the big six. Look at customer service and make sure they have good customer ratings, so if any issues occur you know that they will work hard to fix them. If you don’t want to take that chance with lesser known energy providers, then keep searching until you find names that you’ve heard of. However, taking a chance on a smaller company may mean you can save up to £350 a year on just your energy bill alone!
If you don’t want to make a change then call up your current energy provider and ask for their cheapest deal. Look for cheaper fixed rates as you’re still paying for the same energy. But, it is far better to do a comparison because you may be missing out on better deals.
What happens when I switch energy providers?
When you request to switch energy providers you may be asked about your energy usage, but if you’ve just moved into a property then you probably won’t have that information to hand. If you’ve moved from another rented property where you have been paying your energy bills, you should an idea of how much you’re paying each month or quarter. When you compare energy providers and look for the best energy deals, the options tend to be how much you have been paying or your usage. Ring the provider for more guidance if you are unsure about how to work this out.
Don’t focus just on price when switching energy providers
One of the major reasons for switching energy providers is to save money, but making savings shouldn’t be the sole consideration. When comparing companies and asking in-depth questions about prices, it’s also important to take into account a company’s history. It’s not ideal to choose the cheapest provider on the market if they fail to offer proper customer care as mentioned above. For example, a broken boiler can cause a lot of problems for people, particularly if it occurs in the mid-winter. Having the knowledge that an energy supplier is on hand to fix problems and ensure that gas supplies are safely administered is important. If the cheapest provider has been chosen, such a breakdown service may not be available.
Looking into a company’s history of energy price hikes is also important. Paying a little more for power might be a good idea if there’s more likelihood that, after the fixed contract finishes, huge leaps in costs won’t be seen. Meanwhile, environmentally conscious customers might like to utilise companies with stakes in renewable energy.
What happens if I’m on a fixed price tariff and I have to leave the property?
You don’t have to pay a penalty if you are on a fixed price tariff and you have to leave the property for some reason. Most energy providers should not charge a penalty if your reason is that you are moving home. But, I would check with your energy provider in advance.
What if I’m on a pre-payment meter?
There is less of an option if you are a pre-payment customer, but you can switch providers. Unfortunately, there are more restrictions placed on deals when switching, so the difference in price that you may save may only be marginal.
What if I experience a power cut? Do I still pay for energy during that time?
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do if the power has been cut off in your area. But, start getting into the practice of switching your electricity off at the mains to protect your home. If the power has been off for days then find out from your energy provider where you stand – you might be able to claim off your home insurance as well.
What happens if the energy provider I pick goes bust?
If your new cheaper and lesser known energy provider goes bust, you are still protected and are guaranteed continuity of supply. Ofgem, the government regulator for gas and electricity, will transfer your details over to a new company. You may lose the cheap tariff that you found in the first place, but then you would just have to go through the process of switching again.
What difference does it make if I’m renting?
A lot of renters think that because you’re renting you don’t have a choice in which energy provider you choose and you have to stick with the provider that your landlord prefers or that is already registered against the house. But, actually, if it’s in your tenancy agreement that you are responsible for paying your energy bills then you have just as much of a right to switch energy providers as those who own their homes.
Let your landlord know in advance that you’re switching energy providers
Letting your landlord know in advance ensures that you don’t fall foul of any clauses in your tenancy agreement. But as long as there isn’t a clause in the contract, then you are free to switch to a cheaper deal.
What if my landlord won’t allow me to change energy suppliers?
If you’ve spoken to your landlord and s/he has refused to allow you to switch energy suppliers, and it is written into your tenancy agreement, then this may become an issue, especially if your bills are included in your rent or your contract stipulates that the landlord has a preferred provider. Unfortunately, in this instance, you are restricted and it would be best to try to speak to your landlord to waive or change the clause. Mention that you are unable to keep to the high payments and that you both would be better off switching energy providers to save money every month. If you are moving to a new rented home, check the clauses in the agreement which states that the landlord has a preferred choice of provider and ask them to amend the clause to state that if you are responsible for paying your energy bills then you are also responsible for finding the best energy supplier for your new home.
Switching energy providers is clearly the best option when trying to save money on your energy bills. However, if there is an issue with your landlord about switching, try speaking to them about your situation and make clear how much money you stand to save simply by switching energy providers. Most landlords are reasonable if they feel they are kept in the loop of any changes. And, most would be willing to amend or add a clause to allow switching energy providers to make it beneficial for both of you in the long run.
*Collaborative feature post*
Tips about warehousing for your family business
Not all family businesses run proper warehousing facilities and often make do with a glorified stockroom or a garage, to keep everything stored. However, all businesses can learn from the principles behind modern warehousing. Not only will it help your business to stock more items, but also to fulfil customer orders more rapidly and cut down on errors. Overall, running a storage facilityw like a warehouse means improving your customer service ratings and nearly all customer-focused businesses can benefit from that. The beauty of taking this approach is that – even if you run your business from home – many of the essential ideas can be put into place. If you rent a small industrial unit, then there are even more possibilities. Let’s look at some of them…
Warehousing can improve your efficiency
If you’re in the food and drinks business, most food packaging companies offer flexible packaging, for example, flexible coffee packaging for optimum space. The same concept is offered for other product based companies. And, by using a racking system which is designed properly, most businesses will find they obtain functional gains. This might mean that your goods-in area immediately connects to your storage facility, for example, thereby reducing the amount of time it takes to get things into stock where they can be accessed. It also means that you need to handle fewer items or sign them over to another person, reducing the risk of human error. When looking for items, a proper shelving system as used in a logistics warehouse like Shurgardw means things can be found quicker and with less potential damage being done when items are picked.
Warehousing keeps your balance sheet accurate
Many business owners know immediately what their overheads are and where their turnover stands from month to month. However, they tend to be a bit hazier on the question of stock value. This is often because stock checks are done infrequently and are not accurate when they are carried out. Proper inventories using barcoded stock bins, as used in most professional warehouses, speed up the process and allow you to obtain a much better idea of how much cash you have tied up in items, especially those which aren’t selling. Fully understanding your stock’s value can have a knock-on effect in terms of how much insurance you might be forking out for unnecessarily.
Warehousing can optimise offices space
By fitting a mezzanine floor into an ordinary industrial unit you are able to make full use of the facility’s footprint. Of course, this means augmenting your warehouse operations without the need to get into heavy lifting equipment because everything remains at eye level with warehouse mezzanine Floors. Different companies provide mezzanine flooring service such as WSSL offers warehouse mezzanine floors all over UK. The additional benefit of fitting mezzanine floor is that they are completely versatile and can be used for additional office space just as much as increasing your company’s storage capacity. They are an ideal solution for entrepreneurs who want to grow their business and yet remain versatile in the process.
*Collaborative feature post*
Planning a Child’s Birthday Party on a Budget
It’s natural to want to throw an unforgettable party for your child’s birthday but sometimes it’s just not feasible to do all the things you might have dreamed of. However, this doesn’t mean they can’t have a spectacular party that’ll make them one of the most popular kids in school.
The truth is, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to give your child an amazing party that they won’t forget. Just because everyone else is hiring restaurants, entertainers and village halls, you can throw a celebration just as good for a fraction of the price. Here’s how…
Plan Ahead
By planning ahead you avoid the last minute rush. When buying balloons, plates, cups, disposable cutlery and the like, it’s a good idea to plan as far ahead as you can and either add one essential item to your shop over the following few weeks – that way you’ll barely notice the cost while your stockpile of essentials will grow nicely.
When you’re panic buying you’re always likely to buy way more than you need, so you should do everything you can to avoid this. You should also make the most of offers, sales and discount sites to get hold of the essentials.
Digital Invites
Ditching the paper invites might seem like you’re also ditching a tradition but nowadays they’re unnecessary. Digital invites don’t need to be impersonal, blank emails, there are loads of sites out there that allow you to choose a suitable pattern, personalise and download each one free of charge – the only thing you’re losing is your time.
Simple Dishes
Forget fine dining, kids would rather enjoy a few sandwiches, fruit sticks and tasty cupcakes than anything too fussy. As far as drinks go, you can pick up disposable cups for next to nothing when you’re shopping for supplies and then just fill a few jugs with water and juice and keep them regularly topped up.
Borrow
If you’re planning on hiring gazebos, barbeques, bouncy castles or anything else, it’s always worth checking with friends, family and neighbours beforehand. If you know people who have or may have the things you need, there’s absolutely no shame in asking to borrow from them.
Don’t worry if the things you borrow don’t match – chairs, tables, plates etc. – as that’s the trend nowadays anyway and your party venue will look cooler for it.
Cash
If you need the cash right now to secure a venue or entertainment and you’re sure you can afford to pay it back over the agreed term you then an affordable loan could be the answer. It’s important to bear in mind that you should only ever enter a loan agreement that you can afford to pay back, so it’s not a decision you should make lightly.
Here you have a number of key ways to prevent the cost of a child’s party getting out of hand, while still being able to provide a memorable experience for them and their guests. These are by no means the limits of the money-saving capabilities either, so keep on searching – you never know, you might be able to do a full party for free!
This is a sponsored post on the behalf of Auto Advance, a Logbook Loans provider.
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