Ways to Protect the Family Financially

As a parent you will always be looking for new ways to protect your children from the dangers of the world. One of these ways is financially. Many people may be unaware of just how to do this. Going to work and ensuring that there is enough food on the table, is a good start, but is it enough? There are many unknowns, and possibilities in the world. So, protecting the family in the event of something unexpected happening is important. What if something happened to you, for example? Here are some methods to help mitigate future financial worries:

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Debt

The first thing you need to do is pay off any debts if you have them. You may feel that you should be saving. However, if you have credit card debts or loans hanging over your head, it makes the process of saving a little useless as you will be probably losing more in interest. Concentrate on wiping out the debt first. If you have several debts, it may be worth consolidating them. If you are struggling, speak to someone, a financial advisor, or at least a friend or family member. To protect your family against the unforeseen, then you need to be debt-free.

Get smart with spending

You have to ensure that you are aware of your spending. How many of you have no idea where all the money you had went? If you are an impulse buyer, you need to work on delayed gratification. Usually, if you wait a few weeks, you no longer want the product. Also, if you tend to pick up food anywhere after you get paid, try to make yourself lunches, for example. Have a look at your bank account in the morning, so you know how much you have. Anyone who has a smartphone can see a banking app, so there is no excuse not to know. If you become more aware, you will find you will have more money at the end of the month, which can be used to start that rainy day fund or pay off more of your debts or get that thing the kids desperately need.

Buy insurance

There are not many better ways to protect your family against unforeseen circumstances than buying insurance. If you are the main breadwinner, and something does happen to you, imagine how much better you would feel if you had income protection insurance, even life insurance. Insurance can make you feel more secure, as well. So, if you don’t have it, you should consider purchasing it.

Get help if you need it

If you are really are struggling financially, ask for help. There is no shame in this; you could speak to a family member, or some kind of professional, like a charity. If you do not ask, you have no idea what kind of help can be offered. Also, if something has happened to you and you are out of pocket financially, get a lawyer such as Pyrros & Serres LLP to fight your corner and get you the compensation you deserve.

Health Habits: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

When it comes to our health, most of us have good and bad habits. The choices we make on a daily basis may seem innocuous, but they can actually have a dramatic impact on our health and wellbeing. If you’re eager to improve your health, you should find this guide useful.

Health habits: the good

It’s not always possible to avoid illness, but there are several steps you can take to protect your body and mind. One of the best examples of positive habits is exercising regularly. Inactivity is one of the most significant risk factors for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. Exercise can also be hugely beneficial for mental health, as it lifts your mood, reduces stress and anxiety and improves sleep patterns. If you don’t already exercise for 150 minutes per week, start taking steps to become more active. Simple changes like going for a walk every evening and taking the stairs instead of the elevator can make a difference. You could also look into enrolling in classes or joining the gym or rediscover a passion for outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, climbing, cycling or open water swimming. 

Image credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-running-run-fitness-sports-1822459/

The bad

Eating well can do wonders for your health, but all too often, we associate changing our eating habits with losing weight. If you’re looking to drop dress sizes, it is important to keep an eye on what you eat, but in most cases, fad diets are not good for your health. You might find that you lose weight rapidly if you restrict your calorie intake dramatically or cut out entire food groups, but the results won’t be sustainable. Instead of dieting to drop weight quickly, focus on improving the quality of your diet and planning balanced, nutritious meals. Increase your intake of fruit and vegetables, protein sources, fiber and whole grains and avoid processed foods that are high in salt, sugar and saturated fats. Using a food diary app or seeing a nutritionist can help you plan and stick to a healthy eating menu that works for you. 

Picture source: https://pixabay.com/photos/breakfast-muesli-healthy-grain-1209260/

The ugly

Some habits are detrimental to our health. One example is smoking. Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, cancer and strokes, and it can also have a negative impact on dental health. Giving up smoking will benefit your health, as well as your bank balance. It’s difficult to quit smoking, especially if you’re used to smoking frequently, but there are ways to make life easier. Some smokers find switching to vaping effective, while others benefit from going to support groups with fellow smokers who are trying to quit and using nicotine replacement therapies. If you’re thinking about trying vaping, have a look at sites like The Vape Mall and read about vaping online to make sure you understand what it is and how it could help you. It’s also wise to ask your doctor for advice and to take advantage of support systems and treatments that are available to you. 

Image via https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-smoking-cigarette-2827798/

We tend to think of bad habits as leaving the toilet seat up or not putting the milk back in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, some habits can have a more profound impact. Hopefully, this guide will help you turn bad habits into positive lifestyle changes. 

Tips For Kitchen Organization

There are a few rooms in the home that will always have a really high amount of people traffic. The bathroom, the living room and the kitchen tend to top the list. They are hotbeds of noise, toys, mess, conversation and ‘doing’ things. That is part of while they are so lovely, and equally why they are the ones that need the most attention when it comes to decluttering and tidying. 

Let’s take a look at a few ways that you can organize your kitchen a bit better. 

One of the quickest tips is about pocket organizers. Most people use pocket organizers on the inside of wardrobes, or on the back of doors, typically for jewelery and accessories. 

You can use one of these on the back of the cupboard door and store cleaning paraphernalia in it. The pockets are the perfect size for holding sponges, scrubbing brushes, gloves and things like disinfectants and so on.

Quite often, the wall spices are very rarely used well. Although there is a rise in some certain Swedish house stores, it has given people a lot of inspiration and options when it comes to maximizing the vertical space they have within the kitchen. It still isn’t something that everybody does. Fix some racks or magnetic strips to the wall around your kitchen. 

Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash

This space that wouldn’t usually be used can be incredibly useful for the storage of spices and herbs. You can also add bars, and some S hooks, this will allow you to hang up pots and pans and all the utensils. 

If you are sure that you do not want to add them to the wall, then outside of cabinets (not the door), works incredibly well too.

Of course, by this time you are probably looking for a lot of inspiration, NVS Kitchen and Bath is a great place to look - and you might find your want a total remodel. 

Downsizing your appliances, or upgrading to ones with a more plentiful internal storage, and energy rating often comes high up on the list. This might come as a surprise to many, but the chances are even as a large family you are not really using the space you have as well if you could be. Humans, much like magpies like to collect things, but we aren’t always the best are placing them. Parkinson’s law states that we fill up the time that we allocate to a job, even if the job may only take five minutes, will fill the time with unnecessary things. This is the same principle. 

So have a look at how you are using things like the fridge, and the freezer. This might be a great time to improve your Tetris skills, or research how best to store food in the fridge.

Using shelf extenders to give yourself more space is a great idea. Many people assume that adding something extra to a cabinet will detract from the space that you have, but actually, you will be creating more surface area. Therefore you can store more. This tends to work better in cupboards that you would typically use for canned goods, mugs, and other small items. 

If you love to grow herbs but have to go out to the garden to pick them, then you might consider adding some vertical shelving. Rather than smaller racks and asked hooks to consider a trellis-like situation with hoops for holding pots. Or alternatively like you might do in the living room to store books and photographs, fit real shelves.

If you have some small spaces around the kitchen and are not really sure what you can do with them, so now they’re doing nothing. It might be time to think about some rolling storage or a rolling pantry. Not only will you then be making more use of this area. So it can earn its place in the space, but you will be free up at least a cupboard by adding condiments, herbs, spices and other dry goods to it.

Many people find that adding folder racks into cupboards can help with storing things like chopping boards, recipe books, and even some larger cleaning bottles.

It doesn’t take too much to become very organized in the kitchen, but it does take a bit of time and a lot of inspiration. Pinterest is a great place to start looking for how to make the use of vertical areas and smaller kitchens. For most projects, you can DIY things yourself and stay well within any budget you have set.

4 Health Issues That Aren't Confined To Old Age

It’s easy and even somewhat understandable to assume that most health issues are only going to impact those of a certain age. Take the coronavirus as an example. The best and most accurate research tends to suggest that those below the age of 29 do not need to fear this disease as much as others. It’s far more likely to be fatal in those in their twilight years, somewhere about 60+. While this is true, there are certain health issues that are not as confined to old age as they first appear. Let’s look at some of these health issues. 

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Hearing 

You probably think that if you’re under thirty, you don’t have to worry about issues with your hearing. This is understandable because we associate hearing loss with old age. It’s true, hearing loss can occur in old age, however, it can also be caused by other issues. For instance, you can damage your hearing if you expose yourself to significantly loud noises on a regular basis. This could occur in your personal or professional life and it’s something to certainly keep in mind. Young people, in particular, can be prone to developing a condition that is known as tinnitus. Tinnitus is a condition that causes you to hear noises that aren’t there and this could be anything. However, ringing is remarkably common. Although tinnitus is not curable, tinnitus treatment is available and certainly an option worth considering. 

Dementia

Dementia is certainly a health problem that becomes more likely as you age. Indeed, certain research suggests that by the time you reach eighty, you’re more likely to have some sign of dementia rather than be completely free from health issues. However, it can also impact those who are considerably younger too. For instance, it’s possible that you start to show signs of an issue in your thirties. This is far less talked about and while uncommon it is something to consider. Particularly, if you are constantly have issues with your memory. 

Cancer 

Yes, there are various cancers that become more common as you age. However, there are also certain varieties that are common in every age group. This means that you need to be aware of that problem and you should check for the potential signs of danger here. A key point to be aware of about cancer you will often receive a better prognosis if it is recognized early. This is true regardless of how old you are. This is why you should always pay attention to changes to your body that don’t return to normal after a couple of weeks. 

Chronic Pain

Finally, you might want to think about issues with chronic pain. Chronic pain will often be due to body aging and going through changes. But, it’s also possible that chronic pain is caused by an injury or health issue that develops far earlier in life. Similar to cancer, recognizing an injury like this early could help limit the impact of the issues you face later in life. 

The Guide to Careers after Homeschooling

Homeschooling is one of the best alternatives to teaching your children outside of the traditional school system. However, something that is always a worry for kids in the school system and outside of it, is what are the opportunities for them after this amazing experience? This article tries to answer some of those queries;

Are Career Paths Different For Homeschooled Kids?

A short answer would be no, but this is entirely dependant on what your children decide they want to do. Just like schoolkids, there will come a time when they become more aware of what they want to do, and in order to open up that pathway for them, you must be prepared to take action and help them attain what is needed to move up into that career path. Whether it be college or full-time work.

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What Careers are Out There?

Far too many to list in this one article! Careers are entirely dependent upon the individual, no matter their schooling background. But, you can open that line of conversation to them when you feel it is time. It’s important to gain an understanding of where they want to go, and what career they want to start with. Ask them questions and try and understand their decisions. For example, do you want to further your healthcare career, or where do you see yourself in five years’ time. They are tough questions, but their primary goal is to open up the dialogue between you and your child, to gain a mutual understanding of where they want to go, then adapting your program to help them achieve what they need to go forward. No career is off-limits or unattainable if you are homeschooled.

How Do You Prepare?

There are many different ways to can prepare. Altering your homeschooling methods, talking to others who homeschool children who have the same aspirations as your child does. There is no set or proven method to prepare, it’s completely based on the individual. But one this is certain, and that is you need to listen and understand exactly what your child wants. There are some things that you need to teach them regardless of what career path they decide they want to go down, with Maths and English needed in order to pass their exams and abide by schooling regulations, but the beauty of homeschooling is that the ball is in your court. You can adapt anything from the routine to the way to practice the materials you are teaching them. You can refine your teaching methods, to exactly what works and what has proven to work. Your children are fully capable of going into whatever career they decide, they just need the tools and the drive to get there.

Hopefully, this little article has helped a little with some of your career queries when it comes to life after homeschooling, but always keep in mind that these are general points, and it is always down to individual preference with what works, and what doesn’t!