Monthly Archives: September 2014

Easy Ways to make a Little Extra Cash for Christmas

Although you (quite rightly) might not be feeling especially Christmassy just yet, the season of joy and giving is creeping up on us slowly but surely. Christmas is such a magical time of year when you’re a parent, but unfortunately, all of that magic comes with a rather large price tag. All of this expense can mean an awful lot of stress, especially if you’re trying to do Christmas on a tight budget. If you want to make a little money in time for Christmas then now is the time to do so. From selling your unwanted items online to renting out your spare room, here are some easy ideas to make money and help you to save a little extra money to make your holidays extra special.

Rent out Your Spare Room
No doubt most of you will have heard of websites like airbnb and HomeAway, these websites are a fantastic way of making money by renting out anything from a single room in your home to the entire property. You simply upload a photo or photos of your home, write a brief description, then choose the days that suit you and you set a price. Once your property is listed on the website, people can view it and contact you to book. You opt to share your home, or rent it out whilst you’re away yourself. It’s as simple as that and not only is this a great money making idea, it’s a great way for you to meet people from all around the globe too.
Sell Unwanted Belongings
Whether it’s an unwanted birthday or Christmas gift or simply an old childhood toy, it seems that just about everything has a value these days. It’s no surprise then that people are listing and selling their belongings via online auction sites such as EBay. Online auction sites are such a simple way to make money you list the item and once the auction is over you simply post it to the highest bidder (once they’ve paid of course). It’s important that your packages get to their recipient swiftly and safely and so using couriers such as TNT guarantee your package will make it there safe and sound. This is the perfect excuse for you to get rid of some of your children’s unwanted gifts from last year to make room for this year’s!
Offer Your Services
If you’re a stay-at home-mum (or dad), why not make a little extra cash by doing jobs other people don’t have time to do. From dog walking to ironing, there are plenty of jobs you can take on that won’t affect your own chores or time with your children. Starting your own business like this, means you can take on as much or as little as you like and you can make a little extra cash whilst doing things you’re likely to be doing daily anyway.

These are just a few ideas to help inspire you, but there are plenty of other ways in which you can make a little extra cash before Christmas. Whatever you choose to do, good luck!

It’s Time to Hire a Nanny: Here is What You Need to Do

The time has come where you must return to work following your maternity leave. Returning to work is difficult, especially after spending the last several months with your new baby.

Hiring a nanny can be a daunting task to some new parents. Trusting someone they do not know to take care of their new baby would be scary. It is an emotional time for any parent that faces these challenges. However, there is a way to safely and securely hire a nanny that you can start to place your trust in.

Link to image source

What Qualities Are You Looking For?

First and foremost, you need to have a good think about the qualities that you are looking for within a nanny. Take out your paper and pen, or make a list within a Word document, and start creating your list.

Multiple Interview Process

Once you have created your list, detailed above, you can place your ‘Nanny Required’ advert. Just like you would have applied for a new job, you must put nannies through the same paces.

When you start receiving interest within your advert, conduct a small telephone interview. Make sure you have a list of standardised questions, and fire away at the nanny applicant. Rate their performance and how they answered your questions. Did they make the grade? Make a note on each applicant and make a decision whether you would like to take them through to the next stage of your interview process.

When meeting a nanny for the first time, ensure that it is somewhere local and neutral. Do not bring your baby along to this interview. Again, take the time to get to know the nanny. Ask for references at this point too.

After you have interviewed your nanny candidates, go home and do not read your notes for a day or so. This time allows you to clear your head so you can make informed decisions. Once you have had some time to clear your head, go back to your notes. You can then start to shortlist your nanny candidates. You must make arrangements for background checks on your preferred nannies.

Once you have received the background checks on the nannies, you can invite them back for the final interview. Ideally this should be at your home, together with your baby. If you want to feel a little more safe and secure, ask a family member or trusted friend or neighbour to be with you too.

The final interview stage is all about the connection you and your baby have with the nanny. Each nanny will be qualified enough to look after children, but do they connect with you and the baby? This connection is vital to everyone concerned; you, your baby and your nanny.

Salary Requirements

This is all too often the biggest stumbling block when it comes to hiring a nanny. Just like business, it relies on supply and demand, and experience and qualifications of the nanny. Most salary expectations are flexible. So, do not be afraid to talk finances when interviewing.

Tips for Taking Care and Handling the Stress of Aging Parents

Taking care of elderly parents may be the highest calling of your life. Although it is possible that it takes away a significant portion of your time and money, with a few tips you can make the entire experience less stressful and manageable. Aging parents may need assistance in a number of everyday chores and activities, such as bathing, eating, dressing and personal grooming. You will have to be free and shift personal appointments according to their situation. Everyday chores and constant assistance may start to cause stress between you. To avoid any such discomfort, a good option is to seek the services of a reputed nursing home in Crawley, West Sussex.

Top Tips to Make Home-Care Less Stressful

There are a number of things you can do at home to make it friendlier for the elderly. Those who are extremely busy and cannot take out the time to properly tend to all of their parents’ needs can choose an acclaimed nursing home in West Sussex like Ashton Grange Nursing Home. Here is a list of things you can keep in mind to provide a convenient and healthy stay for your elderly parents.

Install special nightlights so that the elderly do not trip over something in the dark. Make sure the hall and stairs are well lit.
Get grab bars fitted along the stairway and in the bathroom. This can provide support and assistance to your parents.
Do not leave clutter, paper, toys or dirt lying around the house. They could be responsible for your parent falling down.
If you aging parent uses a wheelchair, it is a wise idea to install a ramp. Do not let them climb or descend stairs by getting a ramp fitted for them.
Today, there are a number of fall detection devices and multiple safety systems designed for the elderly. Get one of them installed at home.
You can make them feel more at home by getting most of their personal belongings to your house. They may miss their old home and certain aspects of it. If possible, try and incorporate some of the design or style in your home.
Do not forget to invite your parents’ close friends and loved ones over whenever possible. Seeing familiar faces and social interaction can do a world of good.
Once they are well settled in, avoid tampering and changing the position of things and furniture. Do not think of getting new interior design at such times. Change and newness can cause stress in the elderly.
Do not leave them alone or make them feel lonely. Whenever you have the time, engage in activities you previously enjoyed doing, like playing cards or board games. Those who are out of home most of the day must provide some assistance to parents or opt to send them to a nursing home in Crawley, West Sussex.
Discuss and assist in medical planning, healthcare policies and legal documentation.

With these simple tips in mind you can assist the elderly in meeting all their needs in the comfort of your home. A nursing home in Crawley, West Sussex, is a good option for the elderly, especially if they are suffering from medical conditions like Dementia or Alzheimer’s.

London for Shopaholics

Apart for the various branded shops that London offers, there are a few markets that are a must see in this city. This is where you can find real individuality with all the antiques, handmade and organic items and a great spread of quirky fashion.

For a well-connected shopping experience, consider choosing hotels near Eurostar London, like Comfort Inn Kings Cross St Pancras London near Kings Cross station in Central London, which offers clean and comfortable accommodation at budget rates.

Top 5 Markets in London

Here is a list of some of the best markets in London that could offer you a truly fulfilling shopping experience.

Berwick Street Market: From fruits to fabrics, this market has it all. It dates back to 1778 and continues to be a rich trading spot. Positioned in the heart of Soho, it is a very busy market that doubles up as a great eating spot. Berwick Street is surrounded by wholesalers and cafes, so there is more to it than just the shopping experience.

Camden Market: This is a line of many fun and funky shops wrapped in one wholesome unit. The market offers a wide array of clothes, antiques, crafts, jewellery and furnishings. To sum it up, just about anything can be found here. If you do not like the crowded alleys, this is the market for you. While you are in the area, you could plan some time to see the British Museum, Regents Park, the British Library and the London Zoo. Camden Market is also located very close to cheap and budget hotels in Central London, which can prove to a good option for easy transport.

Portobello Road Antiques and Flea Market: This Notting Hill market is a colourful and dynamic stretch of London that is full to bursting with the latest trends. When we say sales, this place has some epic sales for everything from books to lace and even exotic cooking ingredients. Thousands of people swarm at the stalls and if you really have the patience, you might get a fantastic bargain. It is best to go in the morning, since the crowd starts by mid evening.

Spitalfields Market: Located in the heart of the city, this is where you will find excellent quality products that offer outstanding value for money. The market is closed on Saturdays and Mondays, however Sundays sees the market at its busiest, with over 200 stalls in action. More than 50 designers showcase their work at the Fashion Market every Friday. And with the huge range of eateries, it attracts the city’s young crowd for a wholesome treat.

Camden Passage: This “hidden” market hosts an array of whimsical antique shops. Traders here are specialists and can give you so much more information that anything on the internet. Endeavour for a good bargain, since prices can be high. It is less than 2 miles from St Pancras Station, and on a cold wintry day, it can prove to be a great walk.

These are places that are the epitome of British culture that still shows some signs of the Georgian and Victorian eras. So, as you look for places around your hotel near Eurostar London, be sure to check out these famous markets.

De-stress with Online Bingo

If I were to ask you to describe a typical day in one word in your lives, am sure all you mothers out there would say in unison – ‘TIRED’. Yes, that’s what I feel too because keeping a family in place and raising the kids is no less than a mini warfare and we all do it seamlessly each day, the after effects of which is seen our deteriorating healths. The obvious question that then rises in all your minds is – what can be done to get rid of the fatigue apart from eating healthy, ‘cos food is not the solution to all our woes always.

So all you mother’s for whom “raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare” as I say, here’s what I found to de-stress – Bingo. Yes ladies the refreshing feeling is simply amazing and I say it out of first hand experience. I have been at it for the past month or so and I indulge in my sinful craving atleast for an hour each day and I just can’t begin explaining how refreshing it is. Oh yes, I say ‘sinful’ ‘cos it’s hard to stop ‘bingo-ing’ (as I call it with much love), but since money is involved it’s always better to be in control.

Here are some of the reasons why we all must indulge in Online Bingo (even if it’s just a little bit)

Amazing Bonuses: Online Bingo is the only form of bingo where you get bonuses for simply joining a site. The same is not applicable if you go to a bingo hall to play bingo. Also you would get bonuses for depositing the first time and it many a time as high as a whopping 500%. Bonuses are received when you redeposit, if you are a loyal player on the site and if refer your friends. Online bingo sites simply wont cease to surprise you and they all believing in pampering their players. Whereas if you play land based bingo the same is not applicable.

Play from Anywhere: With the technological advancements all the bingo sites are available on mobiles and tablets. So you don’t need to sit in front of your computers to play bingo. You can do so while you are going for work or while you are putting your child to sleep. The best part however is almost all the online bingo sites offer some special bonuses to their players you register through mobiles or tables. They also have some exclusive games for mobile and tablet users.

Making New Friends: We all have these social networking sites which do an amazing job of making us meet/connect to new people. But the only problem lies in the fact that these people are not always genuine and they more often than not don’t have similar tastes and thus the so called ‘friendship frizzles out in no time. But the online bingo sites are an amazing place to meet like minded people. Also since these sites urge players to put in their personal details like email addresses, phone numbers and card details (whether one deposits or not) it’s likely that we tend to meet genuine people.

Free Bingo: Lastly online bingo allows you to indulge in free bingo games. This simply means that once you join any online bingo site you can go to their free bingo rooms and play bingo for free, where you need not deposit on the site or buy tickets but still win real cash.

So folks, indulge in online bingo and de-stress yourselves. One cool site I came across is Game Village Bingo. It’s a standalone site with their proprietary software. So you can expect some unique games and offers on this site which would make your online bingo experience all the more worth while. Click this site to know more about their fabulous offers and promotions.

5 Top Tips for Dating Online

In recent years, dating websites have helped completely transformed the world of dating. Now, instead of drunken meetings in random clubs, bars and social events, it’s possible to find potential partners through reputable dating sites. Definitely the best thing about this process is you’ve got a greater chance of a relationship developing into a long term thing simply because you are privy to important information about other single people in advance that you don’t have if you’ve met someone randomly on a night out.

So dating websites have changed the dating process largely for the better, or so it would seem.

Admittedly, online dating cannot guarantee you’ll find love, but it’s certainly worth giving a good go. I’ve included a few tips below that may be useful if you’re considering giving online dating a try…

1. Be honest in your personal profile.

Honesty is by the best policy when putting together your personal profile. It’s hard not to feel the pressure to add a plethora of hobbies and interests simply because everybody else seems to have added loads and because you don’t want to appear boring. This will only result in immense difficulties and embarrassment further down the line when somebody questions you about your “hobbies”. Remember, it’s only worth being with somebody who likes and respects you for you.

2. Don’t disregard a nice person based on a picture.

Despite it being a dead cert that the vast majority will have selected their most flattering pic to submit as their profile picture, some people simply just don’t take a good photograph. It’s worth remembering this fact if you find someone with interests and hobbies that match your own, and who you find you enjoy interacting with because you may discover you’re attracted to them in person, if you choose to later meet up.

3. Consider what is essential to you in a life partner.

It’s good to establish a concrete idea of what qualities are important to you in a potential partner before you start chatting to people. One fab aspect of dating online is that, technically, you could meet someone who is close to exactly what you are searching for. Although, of course, nobody will ever be perfect, online dating gives you a degree of control over certain characteristics, for instance, your potential partner’s level of education, or their earnings, whether they smoke, drink, want (or have) children. These things often don’t matter in the short term, but can quickly and easily become sources of conflict later on, so thinking carefully about what you want or don’t want can aid you in finding somebody who matches you and your needs in important areas.

4. Remember that practically everyone finds online dating hard!

Although you should aim to be as natural as possible in your interactions online, remember that the people you’re chatting to are likely to also be finding the online dating process tough, so perhaps their messages may not be truly reflective of their actual personalities. They may appear to try too hard, or go the opposite way by keeping their communications simple to the point of being boring, or they may hide their sense of humour because they haven’t got to grips with your humour yet.

Remember, online interactions don’t convey tone, facial expression or body language, which often results in points being misinterpreted all too quickly and easily. Remember this when you’re communicating via the site and give people a bit more time to get to know you and relax a little and, consequently, for their true personality to come through.

5. Don’t be embarrassed about meeting someone through a dating website.

There was once a stigma associated with online dating, but this is definitely now a thing of the past. In some cases, older generations not quite as au fait with the wonders of the Internet as the younger generation is may not completely understand or appreciatethe process, but with such a dramatic increase in the popularity of online dating sites it’s inevitable that the stigma has been practically eradicated.

This post was written by Becky Stretton, author of the parenting blog, Green Duo. Visit her blog to read all about Becky, her husband Steve, their new baby daughter Phoebe-Rae and all their adventures in their green, eco-friendly household.

Want To Buy A Static Caravan – Check Out Our 8 Hot Tips!

Want To Buy A Static Caravan – Check Out Our 8 Hot Tips! A static caravan can be a great and affordable alternative to costly holidays abroad or in hotels. If this is something you are considering, but have never purchased this type of holiday home in the past, then you are probably interested in some helpful tips and advice. Look no further as you have come to the right place. In the following article we will look at some handy tips that will help you to find the best static caravan for you and your family, like the ones available to buy from Park Resorts.

Assess Your Financial Situation

It’s a good idea before you start mentally moving into that nice caravan by the sea that you look at your financial situation and see if you even have the budget to afford a static caravan.

Remember the Running Costs

When you are purchasing a static caravan, it is important to keep in mind that it is not just the initial cost of the unit that you need to factor into your calculations. It is likely that you will be buying from a holiday park and therefore you need to be aware of and budget for any additional costs such as pitch and management fees, utility bills and insurance.

Look At what’s Available

Static caravans not only come in different sizes and dimensions, but also different room and interior layouts. It’s a good idea to look at as many different sizes and styles of caravans to find the one that suits not only your special requirements but your personal tastes.

Visit the Location

After spending time researching and compiling a shortlist of places you are interested in, you should try to visit as many of them in person as you can. It is particularly wise to stay for a couple of nights at the park so that you can see what it’s like to live there.

How Far Are You Prepared To Travel?

Having a nice hideaway in an idyllic location is all well and good, but you need to make sure you will be able to realistically travel to it, to make use of it.

Bear In Mind Your Reason for Wanting a Caravan

Caravans should always be looked on as a short term investment as they depreciate over the course of time, no matter how well they are looked after. So think carefully about how long you would want to use it for and just see it as a fun and relaxing getaway for you and your family.

Carefully Read the T&C

Before you sign off on buying a static caravan, you need to make sure you read through the holiday park’s T&C carefully to make sure you understand what is expected and what you are eligible to with ownership of the caravan.

Consider Reselling

There may come a point in time when you want to resell your static caravan, so another consideration you need to make is the park’s surcharges and commissions that may be involved in reselling.

The Best Ways to Involve Your Children in Your Wedding Ceremony

If you and your partner have got children that you’d like to include in your wedding ceremony, there’s absolutely no reason you should stick to tradition. There are plenty of inventive ways you can include the kids in your ceremony, and they’re sure to enjoy it a lot more! Here are some great ways you can include them in your wedding ceremony:

Photo Author: Flickr

Have Them Hand Out Flowers

As you make your way up the aisle, why not have the kids hand you beautiful flowers from the sidelines? The kids can have a few flowers each, and once they’ve finished handing them to you you’ll have a full bouquet! This can usually bring a tear to the eye of the adults.

Read a Poem

Depending on how old the children are, you could have them read a special poem out on the day. This could be a poem that they like, that means something to you, or one that they’ve written themselves. Perhaps if they play a musical instrument, they could include that too! Weddings are a great place for talented children to show off their skills.

Give the Kids Cameras

Buy a bunch of disposable cameras and give one to each child, telling them to take as many pictures as they like with it. You won’t believe how fun everything looks from their point of view! You’ll get a load of unique pictures that you wouldn’t have got otherwise. No doubt you’ll be able to look back on them one day with a huge smile!

Ring Bearers and Flower Girls

Of course there’s the traditional idea of having the boys as ring bearers and the girls as flower girls. If you feel a little on edge about trusting the boys with the rings, you can always attach them to a necklace or some string to make sure they don’t get misplaced! Whiteflash sell wedding rings in Greater Houston, so maybe have a chat with them about some kind of chain that the rings can be kept on during the ceremony. Perhaps the children can keep this chain afterwards as a lovely keepsake?

Make Sure You Show Your Appreciation

Bear in mind that children don’t always know how to act after the ceremony is finished. The bride and groom walk away, the adults cheer and talk, and the kids don’t know what to do with themselves. Show your appreciation to the children involved by giving them a big cuddle and telling them that they are now free to play.

Get them to Sign Your Record of Marriage

Kids usually love signing the ‘Record of Marriage’, which you can allow anybody to sign. This makes them feel important and can make great photos for the wedding album.

Including the children in the ceremony in a meaningful way, rather than handing out booklets, can be a lot nicer for the children. However, make sure that the children want to be included in the service, otherwise their indifference could show through. I hope you’ve enjoyed these ideas!

Revolution Mother